POSTED: Wednesday June 1st 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Michael L. Buckner Law Firm Responds to NCAA Task Force Recommendations on Infractions Process

The Buckner Law Firm issued the May 31 letter to assist the NCAA with improving the enforcement process.

POMPANO BEACH, June 1: The ongoing NCAA investigations at Ohio State University and the University of Tennessee, as well as the recent infractions appeals decision in the University of Southern California case, underscore the importance of an objective, comprehensive and fair enforcement process for all parties.

The Michael L. Buckner Law Firm, a boutique college sports law firm, released today a letter it submitted to the NCAA on May 31, 2011, to address recommendations made by the Task Force to Clarify Roles of Committee on Infractions and Infractions Appeals Committee (the "Task Force").

The Buckner Law Firm issued the May 31 letter to assist the NCAA with improving the enforcement process.

The Buckner Law Firm's letter was triggered by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors' approval on April 28, 2011, of a series of recommendations intended to clarify the roles of the Committee on Infractions and Infractions Appeals Committee.

According to the NCAA statement, "the recommendations are the result of a task force study of the relationship between the two groups, prompted by a 2006 review of the enforcement policies and procedures that resulted in recommended changes in both the enforcement staff processes and the Committee on Infractions and Infractions Appeals Committee processes".

The NCAA explained the "task force was charged with reviewing the implementation of those recommendations and drew its members from both the Committee on Infractions and the Infractions Appeals Committee as well as the Division I Board of Directors and the national office staff".

The Task Force "identified 19 areas of study" that "were developed using a variety of resources, including interviews with staff, committee members, membership representative and attorneys that represented institutions in the infractions process".

[Disclaimer: Michael L. Buckner, a shareholder with the Buckner Law Firm, was interviewed by the NCAA outside consultant during the process.]

The Buckner Law Firm's May 31 letter to Dr. Bernard W. Franklin, NCAA executive vice-president, was based on the law firm's experience representing member institutions and involved parties in the enforcement process.

The purpose of the letter was to provide the Task Force with a comment on a proposed legislative change and two recommendations that the Buckner Law Firm believes may affect adversely parties' due and fair process rights.

In fact, the Buckner Law Firm believes the Task Force's recommendations could impact future enforcement cases, including investigations involving high-profile universities, head coaches and student-athletes.

The May 31 letter can be reviewed or downloaded at the press release page of the Buckner Law Firm website, http://www.michaelbucknerlaw.com/press.html.

Contact Michael L. Buckner (954-941-1844) for more information on the legal issues surrounding the involvement of universities and coaches in the NCAA enforcement process.

Michael L. Buckner, Esquire, P.I.

Shareholder

Michael L. Buckner Law Firm

1000 West McNab Road

Pompano Beach, Florida 33069

954-941-1844 (Office)

954-941-1846 (Facsimile)

mbuckner@michaelbucknerlaw.com (E-mail)

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

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Keywords · NCAA · Michael L Buckner · Bernard Franklin · Division I · Board of Directors · Task Force · Committee on Infractions · Infractions Appeals Committee

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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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