{"argument_date":"2003-04-01T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-04-01T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Mahoney argued the Solicitor General's position ignores the record. She stated the school cannot achieve diversity through race-neutral means.","General Olson argued the program fails every test for racial preferences. He contended the policy violates the Equal Protection Clause.","Mr. Kolbo argued race is impermissible under the constitutional command of equality. He stated the university is free to make many different choices in selecting students.","Mr. Kolbo argued the University views the issue as a question of group rights. He contrasted this with the side that brought the case's focus on individual rights."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 7-9"}]}],"caption":"Grutter v. Bollinger","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.257839Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.274608Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Barbara Grutter challenges the University of Michigan Law School's use of race in admissions. The school defends its program as a tool for diversity.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-04-01T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/02-241.html","primary_docket":"02-241","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:20:03.292183Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["This case tests whether a public law school may consider race in admissions. The school argues diversity is a compelling state interest. Grutter argues the program violates the Equal Protection Clause."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 1, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 45-5"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Grutter wants the Court to strike down the admissions policy. She argues the policy violates the Constitution's equal protection guarantee.","The University wants the Court to uphold the admissions policy. It argues the policy serves the compelling interest of student body diversity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Grutter's counsel argues race is impermissible under the constitutional command of equality. They contend the school can achieve diversity through race-neutral means.","The University's counsel argues the policy meets strict scrutiny. They assert the school cannot achieve a diverse student body through facially race-neutral means."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked counsel to comment on a specific amicus brief. He also asked the side that brought the case to clarify the distinction between group rights and individual rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 7-9"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the scope of racial preferences in public education. It determines whether universities may use race to achieve diversity. This sets a precedent for future admissions policies nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 7-9"}]}],"slug":"2002-02-241-grutter-v-bollinger","term":"2002","title":"Can a law school use race in admissions to build a diverse student body?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 5-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 5-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-241.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-13"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}