12.01 Initial Grievance Procedure

1. The Dean's office is the proper place for law students to bring grievances based on actions of Law School personnel or committees for an initial attempt at resolution of the grievance. If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved in the Dean's office, the aggrieved person may appeal to the Petitions Committee under the circumstances and within the limitations provided in this chapter.
2. Complaints based upon alleged protected class discrimination must comply with and be processed in accordance with related UW-Madison policies and procedures in compliance with §36.12 Wisconsin Statutes and RPD 14-6, Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation. The Dean shall refer such complaints to the Office of Compliance (OC). The OC will assess the complaint and refer it back to the Law School for consideration under Rule 12.05 herein.

[Modified via Faculty action February 2, 2024.]

12.02 Petitions Committee

The Petitions Committee shall consist of three faculty members appointed by the Dean. The Committee may adopt its own procedures, including the requirement that appeals be made in writing.

12.03 Jurisdiction of Petitions Committee

1. Except as otherwise provided in these rules, the jurisdiction of the Petitions Committee is limited to making decisions on:
1. Request for relief from a law school rule, based on allegations of unusual hardship, in a case where the Dean's office has considered the request and has determined that it is not empowered to act or will not act.
2. Appeals based on alleged protected class discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, or military status..
2. The Committee's jurisdiction does not extend to:
1. Action taken by the law faculty acting as a whole.
2. Action taken by the Admissions Committee directly affecting only an applicant for admission.
3. Action taken by the Retentions Committee, except where the appeal is being taken under subsection (1)(b).
4. Matters within the scope of the academic misconduct rules of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
3. When acting under subsection (1), the Committee may deny or grant the request in whole or in part, affirm or modify the action complained of, remand the case for further proceedings, or recommend action to the faculty. The Committee shall make its decision in writing and shall file a copy thereof in the Deans' office.

[Modified via Faculty action February 2, 2024.]

12.04 Time Limitations on Appeals

The Petitions Committee shall summarily dismiss any appeal or request for relief, under §12.03(1)(a), brought more than 6 months after the occurrence of the event in issue.

12.05 Appeals Procedure under Section 12.03(1)(b)

1. Upon receiving a finding of discrimination from the Office of Compliance, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall have 10 calendar days to respond.
2. A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may appeal that decision to the Petitions Committee under §12.03(1)(b). The appeal shall be filed with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs within 15 calendar days of receipt of notification of the response of the Associate Dean. The Petitions Committee shall respond within 20 calendar days from receipt of the appeal.
3. A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Petitions Committee under §12.03(1)(b) may appeal that decision to the faculty. The appeal shall be filed with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs within 15 calendar days of notification of the Committee's decision. The faculty shall respond to this appeal within 20 calendar days of receipt of the appeal. For purposes of an appeal under this part, if an appeal to the faculty is taken at any time other than during the regular fall or spring semesters, ten faculty shall constitute a quorum.
4. In the event of a jointly-constituted Petitions-Retentions Committee, an appeal from a Retentions-related decision under §12.03(1)(b) may be made direectly to the faculty as described in §12.05(3) above. 
5. Cross reference: Students should be aware of the provisions of §36.12, Wisconsin Statutes, concerning student discrimination complaints. Complaints alleging a violation of §36.12 must be filed with Office of Compliance within 300 days of the alleged violation.

[Modified via Faculty action February 2, 2024 and November 1, 2024.]