Discipline & Expulsion
Federal law gives students with disabilities specific protections in school discipline. When a district suspends or expels a child whose behavior is related to their disability — known or suspected — the legal posture changes immediately. These cases move on a short clock and require immediate attention.
Indicators
When to call us about this.
- Your child has been suspended for more than ten cumulative school days in a year.
- An expulsion hearing is scheduled and your child has an IEP, a 504 plan, or a suspected disability.
- The district has called a manifestation-determination review and you are not sure what to expect.
- Your child has been involuntarily transferred to a different school or program as a discipline measure.
How it works
What the process looks like.
1. Immediate stay
We assess whether your child is entitled to remain in their current placement under IDEA's 'stay put' provision while the matter is resolved.
2. Manifestation determination
We attend or challenge the manifestation-determination review and ensure the legal standard is applied correctly.
3. Expulsion hearing
We represent your child at the expulsion hearing, where the procedural rules are different from a courtroom but the consequences for your child are real.
4. Reinstatement and appeal
If the result is wrong, we pursue appeal at the district, county, and state level — and into court when warranted.
Privacy first
Start with basic information.
You do not need to know the legal language before you contact the firm. Tell us what is happening at school, and we can help identify whether the issue belongs with legal representation, advocacy support, or another resource.
Please avoid sending private student details through the form. We can ask for documents and additional information after the first contact.
Contact the firmThink this matches your situation?
Tell us briefly what is happening. We respond within 24 business hours.