The US Justice Department has accused the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law of discriminating against Asian and white applicants in admissions. The department said its investigation covered the 2023, 2024 and 2025 incoming classes and alleged that race was used in the admissions process.What did the Justice Department allege?The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said UCLA Law violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the US Supreme Court's 2023 ruling on race-based admissions. The department said its analysis found differences in admission outcomes for applicants from different racial groups with comparable LSAT scores.According to the department, UCLA Law rejected some white and Asian applicants who had LSAT scores similar to Black and Hispanic applicants who were admitted. The department also said that, when the 2024 and 2025 classes were combined, half of admitted Black applicants had LSAT scores at or below 90% of the scores of admitted white applicants.How did the DOJ say race was considered?The Justice Department said UCLA Law's application process included personal statements and essay questions that could obtain information about an applicant's race. It also alleged that admissions staff provided guidance on revealing race during recruitment activities, including an event called the “Diversity Admissions Open House.”The department said these practices were inconsistent with the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. That ruling prohibited the use of race as a direct factor in college admissions while allowing institutions to consider an applicant's experiences in certain circumstances.What has UCLA Law said?UCLA School of Law rejected the allegation that its admissions process unlawfully discriminates based on race. In a statement issued on October 1, the school said it follows applicable federal and state laws, including the California Constitution and Proposition 209.“Students are admitted through a comprehensive, merit-based review process that considers each applicant's achievements and experiences,” UCLA Law said. The school added that it remains confident in its admissions process.California's Proposition 209 has prohibited public institutions in the state from discriminating or granting preferences based on race, sex or ethnicity since its adoption in 1996.What happens next in the UCLA case?The Justice Department said it will seek a settlement with UCLA to bring the law school's admissions practices into compliance with federal requirements. If settlement efforts fail, the department said it could file a lawsuit.The UCLA Law case is part of wider federal scrutiny of university admissions practices. The Justice Department has also raised similar allegations involving other US law schools and has separately investigated UCLA's medical school.The latest development is an allegation and investigative finding by the Justice Department, while UCLA disputes the characterization of its admissions process. Any further legal proceedings or settlement could determine how the dispute develops
