University of Georgia Title IX Lawyer-Advisor

A Title IX case at the University of Georgia rarely unfolds the way students expect. As a Title IX attorney-advisor who has handled many of these investigations and hearings across universities and colleges, being prepared for every possible turn or reverse is critical to a student’s success, whether as a respondent or complainant. What often begins as a conversation with a staff member, an online report, or a request for support can evolve into a formal compliance proceeding governed by federal law, systemwide policy, and internal decision makers who may never meet the student face-to-face. The pace can feel relentless. The consequences can extend well beyond the semester in which the allegation arose. The emotional toll can be great.

UGA is not a small or informal academic community. It is a flagship public university with a dense residential footprint in Athens, a nationally visible athletics culture, and a surrounding city where student life blends seamlessly into off-campus spaces. In Fall 2024, the University of Georgia reported total enrollment of 43,146 students, including 32,399 undergraduates and 10,747 graduate and professional students. That scale shapes how Title IX issues arise, how they are reported, and how the institution responds.

Saland Law represents students and families in Title IX matters nationwide, including cases involving the University of Georgia. The firm is led by Jeremy Saland, a Title-IX advisor, criminal defense attorney, and  former Manhattan prosecutor who approaches campus proceedings with a litigation mindset focused on evidence, credibility, preparation, presentation, and record control. Saland Law advises both respondents and complainants, recognizing that effective advocacy depends on understanding how universities assess allegations from every vantage point. Although based in New York City, the firm regularly represents students at public universities across the country, including within the University System of Georgia. Because colleges and universities allow for online meetings and hearings, whether on Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or their own internal system, advocating for, working with, and representing students in New York or Georgia is no different.

The Athens Environment and Why Location Shapes Title IX Risk

Athens is a college town in the truest sense. Students live, socialize, and move through spaces that are only partially controlled by the university. Residence halls sit blocks away from off-campus houses. Downtown venues host student gatherings. Rideshares, house parties, tailgates, and informal social events are part of daily life. These realities matter because Title IX jurisdiction does not stop at the edge of campus property. Greek life, clubs, and extracurricular organizations all fall under the University of Georgia umbrella thereby allowing for the “long arm” of Title IX to extend to incidents that students may not otherwise believe are within the school’s domain.

UGA’s Clery Act reporting illustrates how frequently alleged sexual misconduct and relationship-based offenses occur within this mixed environment. In the University’s Safe and Secure 2024 report, the Clery statistics for the main campus list rape reports of 12 in 2021, 14 in 2022, and 11 in 2023, along with fondling (sexual battery) reports of 12 in 2021, 9 in 2022, and 19 in 2023. The same report documents recurring reports of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking during that same three-year period.

These numbers do not represent findings of responsibility, nor do they capture confidential disclosures that never become formal reports. What they do show is that UGA regularly processes allegations involving sexual contact, relationship violence, and stalking. For students, that means the system is active, experienced, and structured to move forward even when the underlying facts are disputed.

Greek Life and Athletics Exposure at the University of Georgia

Greek life, including both fraternities and sororities, and athletics occupy a highly visible place within the University of Georgia community, and that visibility can significantly affect how Title IX matters arise and are handled. UGA reports that more than 8,500 undergraduate students participate in fraternities and sororities, representing roughly one quarter of the undergraduate population. Greek-affiliated events often involve repeated social interaction in shared spaces such as chapter houses, off-campus rentals, tailgates, and large group gatherings, which can complicate fact-finding when allegations involve alcohol use, evolving relationships, or conflicting witness accounts rather than isolated encounters.

UGA’s Clery Act reporting reinforces why these environments appear frequently in Title IX matters. The University’s Safe and Secure 2024 report shows that many reported sex offenses occur in residential facilities and non-campus locations, categories that commonly include fraternity and sorority housing and Greek-affiliated properties. While Clery statistics do not identify organizational affiliation, the location data highlights why cases connected to Greek life often draw additional institutional attention and may trigger parallel reviews through student conduct or Greek Life administration alongside the Title IX process.

Athletics-related Title IX cases raise a different set of risks. Student-athletes operate under overlapping systems that include University discipline, team rules, scholarship conditions, and conference or NCAA expectations. A Title IX allegation can therefore affect eligibility, playing time, and future opportunities even before a final determination is reached. Athlete-involved cases also tend to carry heightened visibility, which can influence witness behavior, increase social pressure, and elevate the risk of retaliation allegations if communications are not carefully managed. In both Greek life and athletics contexts, the University’s response may be shaped not only by the individual allegation but also by broader concerns about safety, supervision, and institutional exposure.

How UGA Cases Often Begin: Reporting Without Resolution

One of the most misunderstood aspects of Title IX at UGA is how frequently cases begin without a clear destination. A student may disclose an incident to a non-confidential employee, complete an online report, or speak with a university office seeking accommodations. That disclosure may generate institutional notice even if the student is undecided about pursuing a complaint.

Under the University System of Georgia Sexual Misconduct Policy, institutional notice does not automatically require a formal investigation. The Title IX Coordinator is required to reach out, explain available supportive measures, and discuss options. This early stage can feel deceptively informal, but it is often when the most consequential record-building begins.

Respondents may be unaware that a report has already been logged. Complainants may assume they can pause indefinitely without procedural consequences. In reality, timing matters. Evidence degrades. Witness memories shift. Digital records disappear. Decisions made during this ambiguous phase can later shape whether and how the University proceeds.

Data From UGA Shows Many Reports Never Become Hearings

UGA’s internal reporting data reinforces this point. In University System of Georgia disclosures covering a recent academic year, UGA reported dozens of sexual misconduct-related reports across categories such as sexual assault or sexual contact, dating or domestic violence, and stalking. Only a subset of those reports advanced to formal investigation and resolution. However, merely because someone else’s allegations, whether a complainant or respondent, does not reach a hearing does not mean your case is free from a potential “trial”. Preparing for the worst and working for the best remains the right strategy.

This pattern reflects two important realities. First, many students seek support without immediately seeking adjudication. Second, a student may face exposure long after an incident, even if the initial report did not trigger immediate action. For respondents, that means allegations can surface months later. For complainants, it means clarity about goals and timing is essential.

Consent at UGA: How Policy Language Is Applied in Practice

Affirmative consent rules the day no matter the form it takes and the circumnstances surrounding it. Simply, central to many UGA Title IX cases, the apply affirmative consent rules and definitions ias not always simple. . Under the USG Sexual Misconduct Policy, consent must be knowing, voluntary, and expressed through words or actions that indicate a willingness to engage in sexual activity. Consent cannot be obtained through force, intimidation, coercion, or exploitation of incapacitation. Silence, lack of resistance, or a prior relationship does not constitute consent. All of this falls on you to either articulate your lack of affirmative consent or confirmation that the consent was in fact affirmative. This is where your Title IX advisor-lawyer will rely on experience, knowledge and advocacy to idenify, preserve, secure and present the strongest available evidence no matter where or who it is from or the form it takes.

In practice, investigators do not look for a single moment of agreement. They analyze the interaction as a sequence. Was consent communicated at each stage of sexual contact? Was it withdrawn? Was either party incapacitated due to alcohol, drugs, sleep, or other factors? Did one party know or reasonably should have known of incapacitation? 

Cases involving alcohol and drugs are particularly complex. Students often assume that intoxication alone determines the outcome. It does not. The inquiry focuses on capacity, observable behavior, and whether a reasonable person would have recognized impairment. Messages sent before and after the encounter, witness observations, and the coherence of each party’s account often matter more than labels like “high”, “impaired”, “drunk” or “sober.”

Stalking and Pattern-Based Allegations at UGA

Not all Title IX cases at UGA involve a single event. Stalking allegations are common and often misunderstood. This is where history and context come into play. Clery statistics show recurring reports of stalking on campus. Under USG policy, stalking involves a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear or emotional distress.

In these cases, no single message or encounter may seem severe in isolation. Instead, the University examines patterns: repeated messages, uninvited appearances, monitoring behavior, or escalation after a relationship ends. Evidence can include screenshots, call logs, location data, and third-party observations. Students accused of stalking often underestimate how cumulative behavior is evaluated. Complainants often struggle to organize dispersed incidents into a coherent narrative. Both sides benefit from early, structured evidence review.

Academic and Professional Consequences Unique to UGA

UGA’s academic structure adds another layer of risk. Many students are enrolled in competitive majors, pre-professional tracks, or graduate programs where disciplinary findings can have downstream effects. A Title IX outcome can affect eligibility for study abroad, internships, student employment, assistantships, or professional school applications. Even interim measures can disrupt lab access, fieldwork, or practicum placements.

Because UGA is part of a statewide university system, records may follow a student if they seek to transfer within the system. This makes long-term planning essential. A short-term resolution that seems tolerable in the moment may have consequences that surface years later.

Defending Against Allegations at the University of Georgia

Students accused of Title IX violations often believe their credibility will speak for itself. In reality, this is far from the truth and a mindset or defense relying on this apporach is doomed to fail. Credibility is assessed through consistency, corroboration, and alignment with objective evidence. Unstructured explanations, emotional reactions, or speculative statements can undermine an otherwise defensible case. At bottom, you need the evidence and to be able to present it in the most compelling manner. This is where preparation and doing your “homework” from the onset of allegation pays off.

Effective respondent advocacy focuses on disciplined narrative development. That includes constructing a precise timeline, identifying corroborating data, and preparing for interviews so answers are accurate and limited to what the student actually knows. It also includes risk management. Contacting the complainant, posting online, or attempting informal mediation can create additional allegations, including retaliation claims.

Advocacy for Complainants Navigating UGA’s Process

For complainants, the challenge is often maintaining control. The process can feel as though it moves independently once a report is made. Legal guidance can help complainants clarify goals, preserve evidence, and request supportive measures that protect educational access without unnecessary disruption.

A complainant’s case is typically strongest when the narrative is consistent, contextualized, and supported by contemporaneous evidence. Advocacy can also help ensure that questioning remains relevant and that the University adheres to its own procedural obligations.

Interim Measures and the Reality of Living Under Restrictions

Supportive measures and no-contact directives are common in UGA cases. While intended to preserve safety and access, they can also create logistical challenges. Students may share dining halls, campus buses, academic buildings, or social spaces. Violations can occur inadvertently.

Understanding the scope and mechanics of interim measures is critical. Students need clear boundaries and practical strategies for compliance. Requests for modifications should be thoughtful and documented, as these measures can later be referenced in the record.

When Campus and Criminal Law Intersect

Although Title IX proceedings are administrative, allegations involving sexual assault, stalking, or relationship violence can intersect with Georgia criminal law. Statements made in a campus setting can later be scrutinized in other contexts. In fact, prosecutors can subpoena statements and evidence collected during a Title IX investigation and, if relevant and valuable to a case, used against both complainants and respondents who are criminal defendants. Even when law enforcement is not involved, students should assume that nothing said is consequence-free.

Coordinated legal guidance helps students navigate this overlap without sacrificing educational interests or creating avoidable legal exposure.

How Saland Law Approaches University of Georgia Title IX Matters

Saland Law approaches UGA Title IX cases as evidence-driven matters where early decisions shape the outcome. The firm focuses on preservation of evidence, perparation from that evidence, and presentation of the most compelling, relevant, and valuable evidence that confirms your narrative and contradicts the other party’s story. controlling the record, anticipating how policy definitions will be applied, and avoiding the common missteps that derail otherwise strong cases.

Jeremy Saland’s prosecutorial background, along with his criminal defense, trial lawyer, and Title IX advisor experience based both in law and real world application, informs this approach. Prosecutors are trained to test narratives against facts, evaluate credibility under pressure, and build cases that withstand scrutiny. Defense attorneys recognize what angles exist to pierce opponent’s credibility and expose holes. Trial attorneys understand the law and how to present evidence and prepare clients for their own attack by the other party’s counsel. Title IX advisors understand the differences between a courtroom and a campus, and how they blend together in these cases and proceedings.In a campus context, that translates to careful preparation, strategic restraint, and advocacy grounded in what decision makers can actually rely on.

UGA’s reporting data and Clery statistics confirm that the University regularly processes these cases. Students should approach the system accordingly, with seriousness and planning.

Speak With a Title IX Lawyer-Advisor About a University of Georgia Case

If you are facing a Title IX matter at the University of Georgia, early legal guidance can change the trajectory of the case. Evidence can disappear, assumptions can harden, and interim measures can reshape your daily life before you fully understand your options. Whether the allegation involves sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, sexual contact, or a dispute over affirmative consent, you deserve a strategy that protects your education and your future.

Saland Law represents students nationwide in University of Georgia Title IX matters. To discuss your situation and learn how experienced Title IX advisor, and more specifically a lawyer or attorney-advisor, can help you navigate the process with clarity and control, contact the firm to schedule a confidential consultation.