KU attorney spars with appeals court judge in student expulsion case

TOPEKA – An attorney for the University of Kansas faces stiff questioning from an appeals court judge during a hearing on whether the school had the right to expel a student based on offensive tweets and off-campus incidents.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports former KU student Navid Yeasin was suspended in November 2013 for violating an order not to contact his ex-girlfriend in any way.

Yeasin sued last year and a Douglas County judge ruled in September the school did not have jurisdiction to expel him.

The university appealed that decision to the Kansas Court of Appeals, and a three-judge panel heard arguments from both sides on Tuesday.

Judge Stephen Hill sparred with Trower over whether the school’s actions constituted prior restraint of speech.

The panel didn’t issue a ruling on Tuesday.

This story was originally published July 14, 2015 at 12:52 PM with the headline "KU attorney spars with appeals court judge in student expulsion case."