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Hopwood vs. The State of Texas

This reverse discrimination suit was brought in September of 1992 in U.S. District Court. Plaintiffs claimed they were qualified to gain entrance to the University of Texas at Austin Law School, but were denied admission because they were not minorities. The judge ruled in the plaintiffs' favor in August of 1992 and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in March of 1996 that affirmative action policies at the UT law school were unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case in June of 1996 (Center for Individual Rights, 2002).

Outcome - Due to the Hopwood decision, institutions of higher education are careful to avoid using race, gender, ethnicity, or age as criteria to grant admissions or financial aid to students. This decision essentially dismantled affirmative action in higher education in Texas. Only Texas and states covered by the appeals court jurisdiction were affected by the Hopwood decision.