Judge dismisses Justice Department’s Harvard records lawsuit

A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking Harvard University admissions records, ruling that the government had not shown it took required steps to obtain the school’s voluntary cooperation before going to court. The dismissal was without prejudice, leaving the government able to pursue the matter again if it addresses that procedural deficiency. U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued the ruling on November 2 in Boston. He said the case’s outcome did not resolve whether Harvard discriminated in admissions, whether federal agencies may lawfully seek appropriately defined applicant-level data, or whether Harvard could ultimately be required to provide it. The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in February as part of an investigation into whether Harvard continues to consider race in admissions following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision rejecting race-conscious admissions programs. The department said it needed years of applicant-level records to assess the school’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination in education programs receiving federal assistance. The requested records reportedly included...