Regents of the University of California v. Bakke 1978

The question

Could a medical school reserve seats for minority applicants?

What the Court held

Fixed racial quotas were unlawful, but race could be considered as one factor in admissions.

The vote

5–4. Two different 5–4 majorities.

Era

After Watergate

Read the opinion

438 U.S. 265 (1978), full text

This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.