Justice Department Accuses Duke Law School of Illegal Race-Based Admissions Practices

The Justice Department on Thursday filed findings against Duke University’s law school, alleging that administrators engaged in unlawful racial discrimination in the admissions process. Despite publicly adopting race-neutral policies, the department contends the school systematically used alternative criteria—including personal essays and first-generation college status—as substitutes for direct racial consideration.

Duke Law School responded in a statement that it is examining the allegations and remains committed to legal compliance while preserving its core academic values. Harmeet K. Dhillon, the DOJ’s Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, characterized the practice as impermissible discrimination. “Using ‘diversity’ essay questions to identify preferred races for admission is still illegal discrimination based on race,” Dhillon said in the department’s announcement.

The action represents the latest enforcement effort by the Trump administration following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions. Although the ruling permits schools to evaluate how applicants’ circumstances inform their character development, the administration has maintained that many institutions continue using alternative mechanisms to maintain racial diversity.

Data cited by the Justice Department showed that Black and Hispanic applicants faced substantially higher admission rates than white and Asian applicants holding identical academic records. The department further noted that in 2024 and 2025, rejected white and Asian applicants possessed median Law School Admissions Test scores exceeding those of admitted Black applicants.

Recent investigations have similarly targeted Yale University’s and UCLA’s medical schools on comparable grounds. The department announced in June it was examining 15 additional medical schools for potential violations. The Justice Department indicated it intends to negotiate a settlement agreement with Duke Law.