POSTED: Thursday July 8th 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Collegiate Administration Best Practices: The First 48 Hours of an NCAA Investigation

The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm Presents

July 7, 2010

The First 48 is an American reality television show on the A&E network. The show, which is set in several cities across the United States, is based on homicide detectives solving cases. The show's title alludes to homicide detectives' belief that if they do not have a lead, a suspect or an arrest within 48 hours of when they are called, their chances of solving the case decrease by 50 percent. The reason is that each passing hour gives suspects more time to flee, witnesses more time to forget what they saw, and crucial evidence more time to be lost forever.

Similarly, the first 48-hour principle applies to internal investigations of alleged NCAA rules-violations. An institution's athletics investigation policy and procedure should require the initiation of an internal investigation within the first 48 hours of receiving the allegation. Like homicide investigations, each passing hour provides the target of the investigation more time to develop a cover story, witnesses to forget crucial testimony and evidence more time to be misplaced or destroyed. Most importantly, an institution should strive to complete the following tasks within the first 48 hours:

· Review the institution's athletics investigation policy and procedure.

· Appoint or retain a person to conduct the internal investigation.

· Develop an investigation plan.

· Interview (if possible) the person making the allegation.

· Collect all available evidence pertinent to the allegation.

· Interview (if your strategy warrants it) any key witness and the target of the investigation.

Please contact attorney and private investigator Michael L. Buckner (954-941-1844; mbuckner@michaelbucknerlaw.com) for more information on conducting internal investigations.

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Issues of Collegiate Administration Best Practices can be downloaded on the "Best Practices and Information Nuggets" page of the Michael L. Buckner Law Firm website (http://www.michaelbucknerlaw.com).

You can contact Michael L. Buckner, Esquire, P.I., (954-941-1844; mbuckner@michaelbucknerlaw.com) if you have any questions on this issue or need to address a complex NCAA enforcement investigative or appellate issue.

The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm, a boutique legal and investigative firm, assists college and university presidents, general counsel and athletic directors address complex NCAA enforcement investigations and appeals. The law firm website can be found at http://www.michaelbucknerlaw.com.

Michael L. Buckner Law Firm

1000 West McNab Road, Suite 181

Pompano Beach, Florida 33069

(954) 941-1844 (Office)

(954) 735-4204 (Facsimile)

mbuckner@michaelbucknerlaw.com (E-mail)

http://www.michaelbucknerlaw.com (Website)

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Keywords · Michael Buckner Law · NCAA · college sports

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Name: Michael L. Buckner Law Firm
Organization: Michael L. Buckner Law Firm
Email:
Phone: (954) 941-1844 (Office)
URL: http://www.michaelbucknerlaw.com

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