Justice Department Alleges Duke Law Illegally Considered Race in Admissions
The U.S. Justice Department has accused Duke University's law school of illegally considering race in its admissions process. The department alleges that Duke Law used factors like personal essays and first-generation student status as proxies for race, leading to a…
Houston, TX, August 6, 2026 —
The U.S. Justice Department has formally accused Duke University’s law school of engaging in race-based admissions practices that allegedly violate federal law. The department contends that the law school has been illegally considering race in its admissions decisions, a move that follows the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling which effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions nationwide.
According to the Justice Department’s allegations, Duke Law School purportedly utilized factors such as personal essays and the status of being a first-generation student as indirect indicators of race. The department asserts that these methods resulted in a disproportionately higher admission rate for Black and Hispanic applicants when compared to white and Asian applicants who possessed similar academic qualifications and credentials.
The Justice Department’s action marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of university admissions policies in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2023. The ruling prohibited the consideration of race as a specific factor in admissions, aiming to ensure equal treatment for all applicants regardless of their racial background.
Details regarding the specific timeline of Duke Law School’s alleged admissions practices and any potential penalties or required remedies were not immediately provided. The Justice Department has stated its intention to pursue this matter further, indicating that the law school’s admissions process is now under review.
This development places Duke University’s law school among the institutions facing intense examination regarding their admissions criteria and their adherence to the recent legal standards set forth by the Supreme Court. The department’s allegations suggest a potential for continued legal challenges and policy adjustments within higher education institutions across the country.
Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.
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