Abigail Noel Fisher, Petitioner v. University of Texas at Austin et al.

Decided June 24, 2013. Anthony McLeod Kennedy delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 11-345 · 570 U.S. 297 (2013) · Cited 137 times

Holding

Because the Fifth Circuit did not hold the University to the demanding burden of strict scrutiny articulated in Grutter and Regents of Univ.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 7–1.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Grutter v. Bollinger · 539 U.S. 306 (2003)
• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke · 438 U.S. 265 (1978)
• Gratz v. Bollinger · 539 U.S. 244 (2003)
• Brown v. Board of Education · 347 U.S. 483 (1954)
• City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co. · 488 U.S. 469 (1989)
• Korematsu v. United States · 323 U.S. 214 (1945)
• Fullilove v. Klutznick · 448 U.S. 448 (1980)
• Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education · 476 U.S. 267 (1986)
• Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena · 515 U.S. 200 (1995)
• Missouri v. Jenkins · 515 U.S. 70 (1995)
• Palmore v. Sidoti · 466 U.S. 429 (1984)
• Johnson v. California · 543 U.S. 499 (2005)
• Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission · 497 U.S. 547 (1990)
• McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education · 339 U.S. 637 (1950)
• Bolling v. Sharpe · 347 U.S. 497 (1954)
• Loving v. Virginia · 388 U.S. 1 (1967)
• DeFunis v. Odegaard · 416 U.S. 312 (1974)
• Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan · 458 U.S. 718 (1982)
• Sweezy v. New Hampshire Ex Rel. Wyman · 354 U.S. 234 (1957)
• Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 · 551 U.S. 701 (2007)
• Lee v. Washington · 390 U.S. 333 (1968)
• Rice v. Cayetano · 528 U.S. 495 (2000)
• United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co. · 200 U.S. 321 (1906)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College · 600 U.S. 181 (2023)
• Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado · 580 U.S. 206 (2017)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

Explore from here

Anthony McLeod Kennedy’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2013). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).