Preliminary Review & Judical Hearing

The Judicial Hearing Council exists as the Judicial Division of the Student Government Association.

The Judicial Hearing Council is composed of twelve members - eight students and four faculty/staff members. 

The SGA Vice President of Administration, in consultation with the SGA Executive Board, appoints/oversees the eight student members of the Judicial Hearing Council.  The Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students appoints/oversees the four faculty/staff members.

The Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life are the Advisors to the Judicial Hearing Council and is typically present during all official Judicial Council Hearings.

The duties of the Judicial Hearing Council are:

• to hear cases of students who have chosen to have their case reviewed following their initial conference with the primary adjudicating officer,
• to determine and recommend sanctions for students found responsible for misconduct,
• to hear and grant appeals in cases of procedural error or in the event that new evidence is made available,
• to interpret the Constitution of the Student Government Association when the Executive Board or Student Senate requests such an interpretation.

Members

The Judicial Hearing Council is comprised of twelve rotating student members and two faculty/staff members. Student members are appointed by the Vice President of Administration to the SGA, and faculty/staff members are appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs. Only four student members, including the Chief Justice, sit on a single case.

Preliminary Review & Judical Hearing Process (made easy)

Here's how the Judicial Hearings at Reinhardt basically goes.*

1. You get in trouble. You either break the Code of Conduct, or someone accuses you of doing so.
2. You try to settle. If you've broken the Code of Conduct, you may try to settle with the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Director of Residence Life. If you choose one of these options, you enter a guilty plea and waive your right to a hearing before the Judicial Hearing Council and any subsequent appeals.
3. You appear before the Judicial Hearing Council. If you don't take the option to settle, you go before the Judicial Council to explain your case, plead guilty or not guilty, and receive a verdict and a possible sentence based on the stipulations of the Code of Conduct.
4. You make an appeal. If you receive a guilty verdict but find new evidence or believe there was an error in Judicial Hearing procedure, you can submit a letter to the Vice President for Student Affairs within 24 hours. If your grounds for appeal are acceptable, either the Judicial Hearing Council will hold a new hearing or the Appeals Committee will hear your appeal.

*This is a very abbreviated explanation of Judicial Hearing procedure and may not apply to all cases; please see your Student Handbook for correct procedure.

The Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct exists as a means of providing consistent and just judicial procedure for all students. It can be found in your Student Handbook.

The Judicial Hearing Council is granted authority under Article II Section 3 and Article V Section 2 of the Constitution of the Student Government Association.