College fights ex-student’s request for anonymity in lawsuit
Hartford — A former Trinity College student who was suspended in the middle of his final semester for allegedly copying another student’s homework assignments is seeking to remain anonymous as he fights the discipline in a lawsuit against the private liberal arts school in Hartford.
Trinity officials are opposing the former student’s request to use a pseudonym throughout the court proceedings, saying it would set a dubious precedent. One legal expert called the request unusual.
“There is a very real concern that allowing students to anonymously file lawsuits challenging disciplinary or academic decisions will lead to a groundswell of litigation, particularly by students whose families can afford the services of a lawyer,” Trinity’s attorney, Jonathan Sterling, wrote in court documents. “This would ... discourage schools from appropriately disciplining students for fear of lawsuits.”
A judge recently heard arguments on the pseudonym request. It’s not clear when a ruling will be released.
The former student, who has been permitted by a judge to use the name John Doe in initial court documents, sued Trinity in Stamford Superior Court in April, seeking undisclosed damages. His claims include that the school failed to hold fair and impartial hearings and intentionally inflicted emotional distress on him, causing him panic attacks and other health problems.
He says school disciplinary panels incorrectly and unfairly judged him guilty of “academic dishonesty” and permanently placed the one-semester suspension on his transcript, making it harder for him to get jobs or get into a graduate or law school.
He says he needs to use a pseudonym to protect his reputation while he fights what he calls the “far-reaching and misleading label of academic dishonesty.” If his real name is used, then that label will always be with him even if he’s vindicated, his lawyer, Steven Mednick, wrote in court documents.
Mednick declined to comment on the case. Sterling did not return messages seeking comment.
Doe went on to graduate this year after serving his suspension.