Hazing Gone Wild: Failure to Stop Football Team Hazing, Penn State Sued

On January 13, 2020, former Penn State football player Isaiah Humphries filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against teammate Damion Barber and head coach James Franklin. Humphries alleges that he and some of his teammates were subjected to harassment, sexual hazing, and abuse at the hands of Barber and other upperclassmen teammates In addition, Humphries states that the coaching staff was aware of the hazing and did nothing to stop it.

Humphries’ complaint states that, on multiple …

January 14, 2020 Class Actions / Litigation / NCAA

Federal Judge Rejects Amended Complaint in Ohio State Sexual Assault Case

A federal judge overseeing a sexual assault lawsuit against The Ohio State University (OSU) has denied the plaintiffs’ motion to amend the complaint for the time being, stating that the parties need to focus on mediation.

Hundreds of former athletes and others have filed lawsuits against OSU, alleging that university doctor Richard Strauss, now deceased, sexually abused or assaulted them. In May 2019, law firm Perkins Coie LLP released an investigative report concluding that Strauss sexually abused at least 177 men during his tenure at …

September 11, 2019 Litigation / NCAA

Ex-Penn State Doctor Alleges Football Coach Pressured Him to Clear Injured Players

A former Penn State football team doctor filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania state court on August 23, 2019, alleging that the school’s football coach, James Franklin, pressured the doctor into clearing injured players and allowing them to return to the field. Allegedly, Dr. Scott A. Lynch reported Coach Franklin’s actions to various Penn State department heads. It was after he reported those actions, though, that Dr. Lynch was removed from two positions in Penn State’s athletic department in March 2019. In his lawsuit, Lynch is …

June 21, 2015 NCAA

Sandusky Scandal: NCAA Rebuts Claims Answer was Insufficient

The NCAA is currently playing defense in a lawsuit brought by the estate of the late Joe Paterno, former head coach of Penn State University’s football team. The lawsuit alleges that the NCAA failed to adequately deny defamation, along with other claims in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.

The estate now argues that the NCAA’s answer failed to include sufficiently specific denials of the estate’s allegations, thus the estate should be granted final judgment. The NCAA responded, claiming that “[d]espite …

October 9, 2014 Legislation / NCAA

NCAA Fights PA Law to Spread Penn State’s Sandusky Fine Nationwide

On Monday, October 6, the NCAA filed a motion in federal court, asking to have a newly enacted Pennsylvania law, which manipulates the Penn State Sandusky fine, invalidated as it is unconstitutional.

The NCAA’s motion is directed at the Institution of Higher Education Monetary Penalty Endowment Act, which was enacted in 2013 in response to a fine levied against Penn State University. In 2012, the NCAA and Penn State agreed to a Consent Decree penalizing the university for the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. …

October 8, 2013 NCAA

Reversal of Penn State Penalties May Lead to End of Miami Investigation

That the NCAA investigation of the University of Miami has dragged on beyond any reasonable timeframe is beyond dispute. Students who entered the school as freshmen when the investigation began are seniors now, with no formal findings having been issued by the NCAA. The Penn State investigation took less time. The investigation and trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg took less time. And yet, there is no sign that the NCAA will be making formal findings anytime soon.

However, the Palm Beach Post’s Greg Stoda…

September 28, 2013 NCAA

NCAA to Gradually Restore Penn State’s Football Scholarships

The NCAA announced this week that it will reduce the unprecedented sanctions against Penn State’s football program by gradually restoring scholarships starting next season. Modifications to other sanctions, such as reducing the four-year postseason ban, may be on the horizon but were not announced.

We all remember when the crimes committed by Jerry Sandusky were splashed on the front pages of newspapers, and when the case involving the notorious former Penn State assistant coach was the focus of every news channel for months. After Sandusky …

July 31, 2013 NCAA

NCAA Hits Back, Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit filed by Paterno Family Stemming From Sandusky Scandal

The NCAA wants a judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the family and supporters of late football coach Joe Paterno. Alleging that the claims are “baseless,” the NCAA filed its response to the Paterno family’s civil lawsuit last week on the day marking the one year anniversary since the NCAA sanctioned PennState for the Jerry Sandusky scandal with unprecedented penalties that included a $60 million fine. This is just the latest chapter from the embarrassing scandal which has tarnished the university’s brand and hindered …

July 27, 2013 Litigation

Former Penn State President Files Last Minute Libel Suit

On Tuesday, July 9, 2013, former Penn State president Graham Spanier filed suit against Louis Freeh. Freeh is the former FBI investigator behind a 267-page report alleging that Spanier and other school administrators failed to protect children against Jerry Sandusky. Spanier is suing Freeh for slander, libel, and defamation alleging that the Freeh report makes accusations and reaches conclusions not supported by facts.

Fortunately for Spanier, his lawsuit was filed one day before the statute of limitations ran. Under Pennsylvania law, a party can only …

June 6, 2013 NCAA

Latest Mitchell Quarterly Report Continues Praise of Penn State’s Progress Post-Sandusky Scandal

Penn State is apparently continuing to make steady progress in moving past the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Last week, former Senator George Mitchell, the third-party independent athletics integrity monitor, issued a third quarterly report (which can be found at by clicking here.) stating that University officials have given his team nothing but “full cooperation” as the institution works to implement various reforms after sanctions were imposed on Penn State stemming from the Sandusky scandal. Like Mitchell’s two prior reports, his third quarterly …