An alert tipster sent us word of this article in the GW Hatchet, bringing news that George Washington University has settled its lawsuit with former student Jordan Nott, who was barred from the school two years ago after he attempted to receive treatment for a mental illness. Supported by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Nott filed his claim against GWU in October of 2005. The terms of the settlement were not known when this article was posted.

In the fall semester of 2004, Jordan Nott was a sophomore at GWU, by all accounts thriving academically. However, at the same time, emotionally fraught over the suicide of a close friend, symptoms of depression were beginning to manifest themselves. Nott sought relief at the university’s counseling center, who prescribed a drug treatment. Unfortunately for Nott, his condition worsened. Available accounts differ as to whether Nott was actively contemplating suicide or if he merely had a growing concern that the drug course was exacerbating his symptoms to the extent where he feared he might become suicidal, but what is not in dispute is the fact that after a restive Saturday night, Nott voluntarily sought help at GWU Hospital.

What happened after that is something out of Kafka.