{"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/2002/02-516.pdf","paragraphs":["Kirk Kolbo argued the policy flagrantly discriminated against his clients.","General Olson argued the policy created a separate path for minorities.","Olson stated non-preferred groups face rigorous competition for admission."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]}],"caption":"Gratz v. Bollinger","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.284819Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Applicants claim the university used race to deny them admission.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}],"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/02-516.html","primary_docket":"02-516","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:20:53.177380Z","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":["Jennifer Gratz and Patrick Hamacher sued the University of Michigan. They claim the school used race in admissions. The university defends its policy."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"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 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Applicants want the court to strike down the admissions policy.","The university wants the court to uphold the admissions policy."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Applicants argue the policy discriminates based on race.","The university argues the policy creates a separate path for minorities."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the policy create a separate door for preferred groups?","Does the policy deny admission to non-preferred groups?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines how colleges may use race in admissions. It affects access to elite education for all students."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"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 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]}],"slug":"2002-02-516-gratz-v-bollinger","term":"2002","title":"Does Michigan's admissions policy violate equal protection?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 41-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 41-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-516.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}