Federal Appeals Court to Consider Michigan’s Affirmative Action Ban: A federal appeals court on Friday overturned the work of one of its three-judge panels and said it would decide the legality of Michigan's ban on affirmative action in college admissions and government hiring.
The decision by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals erases a July 1 ruling that found the ban to be unconstitutional. It means more than a dozen judges on the court likely will hear the case again, a rare occurrence.
Michigan voters in 2006 passed a law banning the consideration of race in college admissions and government hiring. The law forced the University of Michigan and other public schools to change admission policies.
In striking down the law in July, the three-judge panel said the law treats minorities unfairly and violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
