Last summer, The Brooks Institute of Photography got into hot water with regulators from the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education claiming that the 60-year-old trade school misrepresented itself to prospective students.
In July 2005, the New York Times reported that an investigation alleges that a student could earn as much as $150,000 in the first year after graduation from Brooks.
Despite a strong denial of any funny business from school administrators, regulators attempted to impose sanctions on Brooks including, repaying students' tutition for those enrolled at the school from 1999 to 2005.
Brooks attorneys promptly appealed the restrictions in court and the case has lingered until last week.
According to the Ventura County Star, Brooks' attorney, Frank E. Merideth, appeared before an administrative court hearing claiming the bureau "exceeded" its authority during its investigative of the school. State prosecutors are sticking with the regulators claims. A judge is now considering Brooks' appeal and will decide in a few weeks whether or not to uphold the sanctions.