A Texas Tech University student disciplined for cheating on his business law exam didn’t show that the school’s investigation into the allegation violated his constitutional rights, the Fifth Circuit said Oct. 23.
Rajin Patel’s accusation that Texas Tech violated his due process rights was rejected because he didn’t show the defendants failed to exercise their professional judgment during the process, or the result didn’t comport with reasoned academic decisionmaking, the opinion by Judge Stuart K. Duncan said.
The evidence also showed the defendants followed protocol in reporting and investigating the allegations, the court said.
Patel’s equal protection claim was rejected because nothing in the record suggested he was intentionally treated in a manner irrationally different form other similarly situated students, the court said.
Judges Carolyn Dineen King and Stephen A. Higginson joined the opinion.
Bach Law Group PLLC represented Patel. The Texas Attorney General’s Office represented Texas Tech.
The case is Patel v. Texas Tech Univ., 5th Cir., No. 19-10009, 10/23/19.
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