INFORMATION FOR

I received a citation, court order, or was arrested, and am not sure what my options are. What can I do?

While the Office of Student Conduct cannot offer legal advice, we can point you to some resources.

Students who have been charged under state or federal law are strongly encouraged to retain a lawyer. There are several in Durham who work on criminal cases involving alcohol, driving over the speed limit, and arrests. Our first recommendation is to utilize the North Carolina Bar Association's Find-a-Lawyer search tool to find
someone in the local area who can assist you.

Our second recommendation is to talk with friends who have received citations, or people you know who might know others who received citations. Then ask those people for a personal referral for a lawyer.

Regardless of how you find a lawyer, when you do meet with your lawyer or speak on the phone be aware of how you are treated. If you have a hard time getting information from the lawyer, s/he does not call you back or you believe that you are not being listened to; don't hire that lawyer. If the introductory conversations are not useful to you, then once you have given the lawyer money, s/he likely will continue to not be helpful.

In your introductory conversations, bring up the topic of money. A reputable lawyer or firm should be willing to talk to you about how much it may cost, any fees etc. that they have. Hiring a lawyer is a financial transaction and if the lawyer won't give you any estimates or information about cost, then don't hire that lawyer.