Found guilty: A legal roller coaster ended with a sentence for cheating for law student Martin Seglen Baadshaug. Stock Photo: Jørgen Kvalsvik

Sentenced for cheating

Having first won a case for cheating against the University of Bergen (UiB), the law student have now lost in the Supreme Court.

Publisert Sist oppdatert

In 2012, law student Martin Seglen Baadshaug went to court against the University of Bergen (UiB) after having his exam in Administrative annulled due to cheating. Ever since then there has been a legal roller coaster.

First, the district court ruled against the law student in 2013. He then appealed and the Court of Appeal judged in his favour, whereupon the university chose to appeal and take the case to the Supreme Court. This is where the final decision was reached.

The student has been convicted of cheating.

Notes available

– We are pleased that the Supreme Court agrees with the State and university argumentation, says Thomas Holdø to Bergens Tidende.

Holdø led the State’s case against Baadshaug. The student sat just before the exam started with notes available at the desk. These notes were confiscated by inspectors before exams started. Nevertheless, the university chose to annul his exam.

As a result of the judgment, Baadshaug has his examination annulled. In addition, he is banned from all Norwegian institutions for the next two semesters.

Debate about cheating rules

The student was represented by Halfdan Mellbye. The lawyer is disappointed over the case’s development and is concerned for students.

– This is a sentence that shows how little it takes for a student to be caught cheating, he says.

Mellbye adds that students must be aware that they may end up in the same situation because of a small mishap.

– I hope this creates a debate among students, whether these are the rules they want, says the lawyer.

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