Judge Grants Motion in Suit Against Michigan Law School - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, May 11, 2000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A federal judge ruled last month in favor of applicants challenging the University of Michigan Law School's minority admission policy.

U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman granted a motion giving challengers access to a sample of law school applications in order to pursue their case against the policy.

He delayed a decision on a second motion seeking to certify a formal class of challengers.

Friedman stressed that the case has a long way to go.

"We all know it's not going to stop here," Friedman told a packed courtroom. "I want this done as expeditiously as possibly. We're going to try this case in January 2001."

The rulings followed a campus rally by backers of the minority admission policy. Leaders say they presented more than 8,000 petition signatures supporting the policy and opposing the legal challenge to it.

"They need to admit more minority students and continue the retention program" to at least maintain the current minority proportion in the Law School, says Shanta Driver, spokeswoman for United For Equality and Affirmative Action.

Two lawsuits filed in 1997 seek to ban the university from considering race in its admissions process for undergraduates or law school students.

The university has argued that it is legal to consider race and ethnicity in judging applicants. The Law School alone has spent $3 million defending its affirmative action policies against lawsuits filed by three White applicants, Dean Jeffrey Lehman has said.