A federal judge in Boston on Monday dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking records from Harvard University as part of an investigation into the school’s admissions practices. The ruling ended the case on procedural grounds but left open whether federal officials may eventually obtain applicant-level data.
U.S. District Judge Myong Joun said the department had not completed legally required steps to obtain Harvard’s voluntary compliance before filing suit. Harvard had argued that the lawsuit was part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to use federal authority and funding to force changes at the university.
“For example, the complaint does not allege that DOJ informed Harvard of the action it would take — namely, litigation — should Harvard fail to comply, nor does the complaint allege the specific failure identified,” Judge Myong Joun wrote.
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in February. Its inquiry concerns whether Harvard continues to consider race in admissions and whether the university is complying with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision involving Harvard’s admissions system. The ruling did not decide the underlying questions about the department’s authority to seek the records.
Scope of the ruling
Joun’s decision focused on the government’s process before litigation rather than on the merits of the investigation. Harvard had been asked to provide information about thousands of high school students who applied for admission, according to the case summary. The university opposed turning over the applicant-level records.
- Judge: U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston.
- Defendant: Harvard University.
- Federal agencies involved: The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education.
Harvard has also received rulings in other cases involving the administration’s actions toward the university. Other judges have rejected efforts to terminate more than $2 billion in federal grants, prevent Harvard from hosting international students and pursue claims that the school failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment.
The administration has made Harvard a central target of its campaign against universities that President Donald Trump says are dominated by what he calls “radical left” ideologies. Harvard and the Justice Department did not immediately comment on Monday’s dismissal.
