New York Paralegal Blog

You may have seen headlines recently about a Bronx teacher, William Jones, who was indicted for allegedly raping a 13-year-old student. The news is shocking and heartbreaking. But the legal terms used in the press release can be confusing. Let’s break down what they mean in simple terms. What Does “Indicted” Mean? In this case, the teacher was indicted. An indictment is not a conviction. Think of it like a formal accusation. It means that a grand jury—a group of citizens—looked at the evidence presented by the District Attorney's office and decided there was enough reason to believe a crime was committed. This gives the prosecutor the green light to officially charge the person and proceed with a trial. What’s a Grand Jury? A grand jury is different from the jury you see in a courtroom trial. It operates in secret and decides if there's enough evidence for a case to move forward. The person being accused, in this case, the teacher, doesn't get to present their s...

By CHRISTINE STUART HARTFORD (CN) - A Wesleyan University student was sexually assaulted at a Beta Theta Pi Fraternity house known as the "Rape Factory," the former student claims in court. Jane Doe, of Maryland, sued the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, its Mu Epsilon Chapter and Wesleyan University, in Federal Court. She also sued the owner, landlord and manager of the Beta House, the Raymond Duy Baird Memorial Association.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 8, 2010) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today revealed troubling practices uncovered in his investigation of the school-sponsored student health insurance industry. Cuomo’s office has subpoenaed ten of the largest insurers of students and five insurance brokers, agents, and consultants as part of the investigation. In a letter sent to more than 300 colleges, universities, professional schools, and trade schools, Cuomo cautioned schools to review their sponsored student health insurance plans and alter potential problems that add gratuitous expenses and put students at risk. The Attorney General’s letter was sent to schools across New York and to certain out-of-state institutions attended by New York residents.

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an agreement with Emerson College that returns $780,000 to students as part of the Attorney General’s broad investigation into the student loan industry. Attorney General Cuomo found that Emerson’s financial aid office and its former Director of Student Financial Services were engaged in conflicts of interest and deceptive practices. The investigation was conducted jointly with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Under today’s agreement, Emerson will pay over $780,000 to more than 4,000 students and graduates, including approximately $81,000 to 400 New Yorkers. Emerson also agreed to adopt Attorney General Cuomo’s student lending Code of Conduct, which prohibits schools and financial aid officials from accepting payments or services from student lenders in exchange for placement on the schools’ preferred lender list. “When we began our investigation into Emerson College, a list of the activities that were carried out by their fi...