I never thought I’d call a lawyer. I told myself I could handle school stuff on my own. Then I couldn’t. That’s the truth. For an even more detailed breakdown, you can read my expanded review of hiring a campus sexual assault lawyer in Orange County.
Last spring, at UC Irvine, I filed a Title IX report. Title IX is the campus rule book for sex misconduct. My stress went sky high. Emails. Deadlines. A hearing on Zoom. I felt lost and small. So I called a campus sexual assault lawyer in Orange County.
Why I reached out (and why I waited too long)
I wanted control. I also didn’t want drama. I was scared people would judge me for “lawyering up.” Funny thing—I was judged either way. And the school process moved on, with or without me. So I picked up the phone.
I found a lawyer based in Santa Ana. Let’s call her Maria H. A friend from Chapman shared her number. I liked that Maria did campus cases a lot, not just random stuff.
The first call: calm in a loud week
Maria called me back in under two hours. I was sitting in my car outside a Target in Costa Mesa. She spoke soft, but direct. No fluff. She said, “You will not do this alone.” I cried. Then I laughed. Then I cried again. She didn’t rush me.
She explained the steps:
- Intake with the Title IX office (school investigators)
- Witness lists and evidence packets
- Interviews
- A hearing, with cross-exam by advisors
- A decision and possible appeal
She broke each step into tiny tasks. That helped my brain breathe.
Real moments that stuck with me
- We met at her office near the Santa Ana courthouse. Parking was $6 cash—bring small bills. She had a whiteboard. She drew a simple timeline with three colors. Seeing my week laid out made the mess feel smaller.
- She told me to save screen shots from texts, Instagram DMs, and Uber receipts. She showed me how to export a chat thread so time stamps were clear. We used a secure portal and DocuSign. No random email chains.
- In prep, she played “the other side” and asked hard questions. It felt awful. But on hearing day, I wasn’t shocked. She also kept snacks—granola bars and ginger tea. Little things matter when your hands shake.
- The hearing was on Zoom. Breakout rooms, rules, long waits. Maria sat as my “advisor,” which schools require. She muted and typed in our side chat: “Breathe. Answer only what’s asked.” It helped me not spill out ten extra details that would confuse things.
- After the decision, we walked to the Circular area in Orange and I got a sandwich. I didn’t taste it. She just let me sit. No pep talk. Just space. That felt kind.
What she did well
- Knew the campus process cold. UC Irvine has its own deadlines and forms. She had a checklist for each.
- Set up a no-contact order right away. That lowered my day-to-day fear. I could walk to Aldrich Park without scanning for faces every second.
- Clear prep. We made a witness list and a short statement. Not a novel. Just key facts, clear and steady.
- Managed my email load. She drafted replies I could send to the investigator so I didn’t spiral at midnight.
- Gave me choices. She never pushed. She’d say, “You can do A or B. Here’s what each looks like.”
What she couldn’t do (and told me upfront)
- She could not speed up the school. The Title IX office moved at its own pace. Weeks felt like years.
- She couldn’t control the other party’s questions at the hearing. She prepared me, but some questions still stung.
- She didn’t promise wins. She promised effort. I didn’t love that at first. Later, I was glad she was honest.
Cost, numbers, and how it felt to pay
Money talk is awkward, but helpful. For me:
- Flat fee: $6,000 for the campus case through a decision. That covered prep, emails, and the hearing.
- Appeal help would have been extra. Hourly, it was $350. I didn’t need it.
- She let me pay in three parts over two months. I used my credit card. The fee hurt. The stress relief was worth it.
If you’re at Cal State Fullerton, Chapman, or UCI, ask about student rates. Also ask if they do short consults for free. Some do.
Timeline and outcome
- Report filed: Week 1
- No-contact order in place: Week 2
- Evidence submitted: Week 5
- Hearing on Zoom: Week 9
- Decision: Week 10
The school found the other party responsible. Sanctions were set by the school. My no-contact order stayed. I was able to finish my term. I still had rough nights. A result does not fix your heart. It does help your steps feel steadier.
Things I liked less
- Sometimes replies took a day. I wanted answers in an hour. That wasn’t fair, but it’s what I felt.
- The office felt a bit old-school. Brown carpet. Flicker lights. Not cozy. If you’re already anxious, bring a hoodie.
- The process used a lot of computer portals. My brain was tired. Keeping passwords straight was a job by itself.
- Prep was intense. She asked the same question many ways. I got annoyed. Later, I saw why it mattered.
A small detour: food, sleep, and tiny wins
You know what helped? Simple stuff. I brought a water bottle to every meeting. I set my phone to Do Not Disturb after 9 p.m. I kept a pack of gum in my bag. After the hearing, I got pho in Garden Grove with a friend. I didn’t talk about the case. We talked about her cat. That break kept me human.
On nights when worry kept me wired, firing off a short, flirty note to my boyfriend helped me shift gears. If you’re looking for fresh wording, this guide to bedtime sexting messages for him has a bunch of low-pressure lines you can steal so you can reach out without overthinking or typing a novel. For readers on the East Coast who’d rather enjoy an in-person, adults-only distraction, browsing a well-reviewed TS escort in Bridgewater portfolio can be a low-stress way to find verified photos, transparent rates, and clear booking details before you commit to a night out.
Who this kind of lawyer is good for
Students outside Orange County—especially those studying at UC San Diego or San Diego State—might find this first-person look at working with a campus sexual assault lawyer in San Diego helpful.
- Students who feel lost in campus rules
- People who need a steady voice during a hard story
- Anyone who wants to prep for a hearing without guessing
Quick tips I wish I had sooner
- Save every message. Date. Time. Full screen.
- Keep a short journal with simple facts. Not feelings first—facts first. Feelings are valid, but facts help the case.
- Ask your lawyer, “What’s our next two steps?” Not ten. Just two.
- Eat something before the hearing. Even half a banana helps. For a wider snapshot of your rights under California law, the state’s Attorney General maintains an easy-to-read FAQ for students on campus sexual assault cases at this page.
If you want more plain-language guides and survivor-focused resources, check out End Campus Sexual Assault.
Final word: would I hire her again?
Yes. I would. I wish I hadn’t needed her. Both can be true.
Students in Los Angeles have shared similar stories; one wrote a detailed review about hiring a campus sexual assault lawyer in Los Angeles that echoes many of the same highs and lows.
If you’re in Orange County, CA—UCI, Chapman, Fullerton, or nearby—getting a campus sexual assault lawyer made the process less scary. Not easy. Just less lonely. And in a week that feels like a storm, that small slice of calm matters more than you think.