Barbara Grutter v. Lee Bollinger et al.

Decided June 23, 2003. Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 02-241 · 539 U.S. 306 (2003) · Cited 668 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–4.

“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.

• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke · 438 U.S. 265 (1978)
• Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena · 515 U.S. 200 (1995)
• Northeastern Florida Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America v. City of Jacksonville · 508 U.S. 656 (1993)
• City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co. · 488 U.S. 469 (1989)
• Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education · 476 U.S. 267 (1986)
• Keyishian v. Board of Regents of Univ. of State of NY · 385 U.S. 589 (1967)
• United States v. Virginia · 518 U.S. 515 (1996)
• Sweezy v. New Hampshire Ex Rel. Wyman · 354 U.S. 234 (1957)
• Marks v. United States · 430 U.S. 188 (1977)
• Brown v. Board of Education · 347 U.S. 483 (1954)
• Korematsu v. United States · 323 U.S. 214 (1945)
• Fullilove v. Klutznick · 448 U.S. 448 (1980)
• Palmore v. Sidoti · 466 U.S. 429 (1984)
• Missouri Ex Rel. Gaines v. Canada · 305 U.S. 337 (1938)
• DeFunis v. Odegaard · 416 U.S. 312 (1974)
• Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Ass'n v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission · 478 U.S. 421 (1986)
• Sweatt v. Painter · 339 U.S. 629 (1950)
• Miller-El v. Cockrell · 537 U.S. 322 (2003)
• United States v. Lopez · 514 U.S. 549 (1995)
• Plyler v. Doe · 457 U.S. 202 (1982)
• Craig v. Boren · 429 U.S. 190 (1976)
• Loving v. Virginia · 388 U.S. 1 (1967)
• Shelton v. Tucker · 364 U.S. 479 (1960)
• Gomillion v. Lightfoot · 364 U.S. 339 (1960)
• General Building Contractors Assn., Inc. v. Pennsylvania · 458 U.S. 375 (1982)
• Regents of the University of Michigan v. Ewing · 474 U.S. 214 (1985)
• Plessy v. Ferguson · 163 U.S. 537 (1896)
• Cooper v. Aaron · 358 U.S. 1 (1958)
• Board of Curators of the University of Missouri v. Horowitz · 435 U.S. 78 (1978)
• Wieman v. Updegraff · 344 U.S. 183 (1952)

Cited by

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

• Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 · 551 U.S. 701 (2007)
• Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College · 600 U.S. 181 (2023)
• Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin · 570 U.S. 297 (2013)
• Johnson v. California · 543 U.S. 499 (2005)
• Bethune-Hill v. Virginia State Bd. of Elections · 580 U.S. 178 (2017)
• Shelby County v. Holder · 570 U.S. 529 (2013)
• Garcetti v. Ceballos · 547 U.S. 410 (2006)
• Ricci v. DeStefano · 557 U.S. 557 (2009)
• Cutter v. Wilkinson · 544 U.S. 709 (2005)
• McConnell v. Federal Election Commission · 540 U.S. 93 (2003)
• Gonzales v. O Centro Espírita Beneficente União Do Vegetal · 546 U.S. 418 (2006)
• Rapanos v. United States · 547 U.S. 715 (2006)
• Vieth v. Jubelirer · 541 U.S. 267 (2004)
• Ramos v. Louisiana · 590 U.S. 83 (2020)
• United States v. Skrmetti · 605 U.S. 495 (2025)
• Allen v. Milligan · 599 U.S. 1 (2023)

Official text

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

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). 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).