A Pitt Title IX lawyer can help you identify the procedure in your notice, organize evidence, and prepare for meetings and hearings.
If you are responding to a sexual-misconduct allegation at Pitt, start with your notice. It tells you which policy controls your case. Pitt runs two tracks: the CS 27 Title IX Policy for allegations that meet the Title IX definition of Sexual Harassment, and CS 20 Sexual Misconduct for other sexual misconduct. Both tracks run through the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, part of the Office of Institutional Engagement and Wellbeing. This page walks through the CS27 path; if your notice cites CS20 as a student, your formal process instead follows the Student Code of Conduct.
For general background on federal procedure, see Title IX investigation and what are my rights as the accused party under Title IX.
Intake: how a case starts
Every report is reviewed by staff in the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, who follow up when contact information is provided and can connect people with support resources (how to make a report). Support measures can be available without a formal case, but formal adjudication under CS27, like voluntary informal resolution, needs a Formal Complaint filed by the complainant or signed by the Title IX Coordinator.
Three moves help from the start. Preserve messages, photos, location records, and witness names now. Do not contact the other party about the case. And bring an advisor to every meeting. The written notice of a Formal Complaint lays out the policy, the allegations, the standard, the presumption in your favor, and your rights to an advisor and to review evidence, and it arrives at least five business days before the first interview. Police and campus processes run separately, so get legal advice before answering police questions, since campus statements are not guaranteed to stay out of a criminal case.
Investigation: evidence and your response windows
An assigned investigator gathers evidence and witness statements on the allegations in the Formal Complaint. The respondent is presumed not responsible, the burden sits with the University, and decisions turn on whether a violation more likely than not occurred. You may inspect the evidence related to the allegations and respond in writing within ten business days of getting access, with a further ten-business-day window on the investigative summary, and the hearing follows at least a business day after responses are due. Calendar every window from your written notice, not from conversation dates. A dismissal from CS27 does not necessarily end the matter, since dismissed allegations are still screened for CS20 or other conduct routing.
Hearing and advisor: live hearing, advisors ask the questions
CS27 cases are decided at a live hearing. You do not question the other party yourself. Instead, each side’s advisor conducts cross-examination of the other party and witnesses, and if you do not select an advisor, the University assigns one for the hearing. Prepare question lists with your advisor in advance, covering credibility points and inconsistencies, since follow-up turns on what gets asked in the room. More on the format is at Title IX disciplinary hearings and Title IX advisor.
Sanctions and appeal
Published CS27 outcomes range from reprimand and educational meetings through suspension, dismissal, or termination, set through the appropriate chair, dean, or designee. Nothing is imposed until the process, including any appeal window, is complete.
Either party may appeal the written determination within ten business days of receiving it. The published grounds are a procedural problem that affected the outcome, new evidence that was not reasonably available, bias or conflict of interest, and a sanction far out of proportion. See also Title IX appeals.
Speak with a Pitt Title IX lawyer
If you are facing a Pitt Title IX or misconduct matter, the policy named in your notice shapes everything that follows. Contact us to discuss your notice and what comes next.
FAQ
Is my Pitt case CS27 or CS20?
CS27 covers allegations meeting the Title IX definition of Sexual Harassment. Other sexual misconduct is analyzed under CS20. A CS27 dismissal can still route elsewhere.
Do I need a Formal Complaint for a formal case?
Yes. Formal adjudication and informal resolution under CS27 both require one, filed by the complainant or signed by the Title IX Coordinator. Support measures alone do not.
Can my lawyer question the other side at the hearing?
Your advisor handles all questioning. You cannot question the other party directly, and the University assigns an advisor for the hearing if you have none.
What does the school have to prove?
That a violation more likely than not occurred, with you presumed not responsible until the determination.
How do I appeal a CS27 finding?
Either party may appeal the written determination within ten business days on procedure, new evidence, bias or conflict, or disproportionate sanction.
What if my case moves to CS20 as a student?
The formal process and any appeal then follow the Student Code of Conduct. Confirm the current code text before acting.
Sources (checked 2026-09-22)
- CS27 landing page: Title IX policy entry point
- CS20 landing page: non-Title IX misconduct entry point
- CS27 Policy PDF: scope, routing, standard, resolution options
- CS27 Procedure PDF: notice, investigation, hearing, sanctions, appeals
- Office hub: office role and reporting channels
- Reporting page: intake and review process
Disclaimer
This page is general information only, not legal advice, and reading it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Pittsburgh. Policies change; confirm the current CS27 and CS20 text before acting.
