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DOJ Says Duke Law Discriminated in Admissions, Seeks Settlement

8/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Department of Justice found Duke Law School discriminated on race in its 2023-2025 admissions, violating Title VI and the 2023 Supreme Court decision.
Reviewers used essay answers and tags such as Pell Grant status to flag traits, admitting Black and Hispanic applicants at higher rates than white or Asian candidates.
The DOJ will seek a settlement, warn it could sue, and note that Duke Law is reviewing the findings.

History

Historical Context

After Brown v. Board (1954) and the Civil Rights Act’s Title VI, the Supreme Court’s 1978 Bakke ruling—authored by Justice Powell and decided 5-4—allowed race as one factor but banned explicit quotas. That precedent guided later cases such as Grutter (2003) and was overturned in 2023. The DOJ’s claim that Duke Law discriminated against white and Asian applicants revives the Bakke-era debate over affirmative-action compliance.

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Story summary

The U.S. Department of Justice found Duke Law School discriminated on race in its 2023-2025 admissions, violating Title VI and the 2023 Supreme Court decision.
Reviewers used essay answers and tags such as Pell Grant status to flag traits, admitting Black and Hispanic applicants at higher rates than white or Asian candidates.
The DOJ will seek a settlement, warn it could sue, and note that Duke Law is reviewing the findings.

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