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Simple English definitions for legal terms

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

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A quick definition of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978):

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke was a court case in 1978 where a man named Bakke applied to medical school but was rejected because of a racial quota system. The court decided that this system was unfair and violated the law. They said that it's wrong to only consider someone's race when deciding if they can go to school. The court also said that having a diverse group of students is important, but there are other ways to achieve this without using a racial quota system.

A more thorough explanation:

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke is a 1978 Supreme Court case that dealt with a university's use of race in its admissions criteria. The Court held that using race as a definite and exclusive basis for an admission decision violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

For example, Bakke was a white male who applied to medical school at the University California at Davis. Although his admissions score was well above that of the average admittee and the school had open slots when he applied, his application was rejected because of the school's racial quota system. Previously, the school implemented a quota system where white applicants could only compete for 84 out of 100 spots, and the remaining 16 were reserved for racial minorities. Bakke sued the school, arguing that the clear-cut racial quota system was unconstitutional and a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Court held that these admission criteria violated the Equal Protection Clause and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court applied strict scrutiny, reasoning that the Equal Protection Clause requires that a government have a compelling interest with narrowly tailored means to blatantly base their actions on race alone, as was the case here. In so reasoning, the court extends the heightened scrutiny on race discrimination to all races and does not limit it to the protection of racial minorities.

The medical school argued that their racial quota system served a compelling government interest by remedying the traditional underrepresentation of minorities in the medical profession and that the diversity in the classroom enhances the free exchange of ideas. The Court rejected the University's arguments though, finding that there are other ways to achieve representation of traditionally underrepresented groups and classroom diversity without a blatant racial quota system.

In summary, the case established that a quota system which excludes candidates because of their race alone is racial discrimination and that the University did not have a compelling reason with reasonably tailored means to overcome the constitutional standard of strict scrutiny.

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@madollyy: I focus on bringing your GPA up as much as possible in the last semester because once you graduate you cannot change that. So don't study for the LSAT next semester if you think that would impair your ability to get straight A's. As for LSAT studying, I would recommend LSAT Demon (ik controversial), the Loophole, and Reading Comp Hero.
*I would focus
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:11
@texaslawhopefully: oh I’m not sure hahaha im just basing off of my friend who got a tutor bc she was rly struggling and it seemed like it helped her!
Yeah, that's fair! For some people it can help a lot. I'm just saying in general I don't think it is necessary unless you are trying to finetune a very specific area (or get to the high 170s because that is another thing in and of itself) OR are just terrible at the test. I tutor the test and I find that most people can improve just as much through self-study.
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:13
that makes sense for sure
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:13
i think for her it was a lack of discipline more than anything else tbh. she could not get herself to meaningfully study on her own
madollyy
22:05
I've finished all my major requirements, so I'm taking pretty much all electives next semester. Keeping one major specific class bc I'm majoring in it for a reason haha. But I'll be pretty free to study and try and improve my GPA. I will try self study first, see where that gets me. If that doesn't work I'll look into tutoring!
the way there probs won't be another wave until after thanksgiving LMFAO
i hate this
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:07
omg i just got a Snapchat memory of my friend losing her mind bc she thought Eminem was black
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:07
SHES FROM MICHIGAN
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:07
THIRTY MINS AWAY FROM DETROIT
babycat
22:10
most of the stuff a tutor will teach you is stuff you can figure out yourself if you’re sufficiently motivated. if you would benefit from some support and structure tutoring can be helpful
babycat
22:13
thanks for the plug dk you’re a sweetie
^^one hundred percent agree
babycat
22:16
texas what made you decide you wanted to go to law school so young? just opportunity cost or something else?
GodsPlanUltimately
22:45
I ust submitted my application on LSAC but why does it say transmitted (still in the active application) and is not in the complete application file?
GodsPlanUltimately
22:45
Freaking out here
babycat
22:46
because you just submitted it. give it like an hour and it’ll go into the complete file
GodsPlanUltimately
22:47
Rationally that's what I thought but irrationally I was like crying throwing up did I mess it up lol
babycat
22:49
Lol you’re all good
GodsPlanUltimately
22:49
I'm assuming then for status checking eventually that the school emails you that information once LSAC finishes processing?
babycat
22:50
Yep
GodsPlanUltimately
22:50
Thank you ╱|、 (˚ˎ 。7 |、˜〵 じしˍ,)ノ
GodsPlanUltimately
22:50
Just stressing because this is my first and only app.
GodsPlanUltimately
22:53
Does the CAS Report send once the school requests it or do I have to send it ?
babycat
23:02
It sends automatically
babycat
23:02
Why only one app?
GodsPlanUltimately
23:06
I'm in a dual degree program that my undergraduate has where if you meet a gpa and percentile you can have your senior year be your L1 ! Cuts off a year of time and money and the partner was my top pick for law anyways. It all just worked out and since it's ED can't really apply anywhere else because the L1 transfers back to complete my degree. :)
babycat
23:14
oh that’s nice! I guess you have a high degree of certainty about the process then
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