The current article aims in presenting and analysing the notion of "academic imposture", with relevant aspects of the legislation incident to plagiarism and self-plagiarism, as well as the legality regarding the withdrawal of the Ph.D. title in the previous and current regulations. Is plagiarism a matter of pure legality, or should it have an ethical and moral dimension? By reviewing aspects of historical writings, contemporary examples of authors accused of plagiarism, and also national examples of Ph.D. thesis, this article intends to highlight the interpretations issued by Constitutional Court of Romania, and also emphasize the need to better understand the instruments accessible for issuing a decision of withdrawal/maintaining the Ph.D. title, through a legal, ethical and moral lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]