Western State University of Southern California v. American Bar Ass'n

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ APPLICATION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

Until the matter can be decided on the merits, the Court issues an order to preserve the status quo, preliminarily enjoining the ABA from implementing any final decision to withdraw Western State’s provisional accreditation or remove Western State from the list of approved law schools.

I. BACKGROUND

In 1998, Defendant American Bar Association granted provisional approval to Plaintiff Western State University of Southern California d/b/a Western State University College of Law. Provisional approval requires the school to (1) be in “substantial compliance” with ABA’s standards and (2) present a reliable plan for coming into full compliance with the ABA’s standards within three years. ABA STANDARDS FOR APPROVAL OF LAW SCHOOLS, STANDARD 102(a). A law school had a total of five years in which to qualify for full approval, which requires “full compliance” with the ABA standards. STANDARDS 102(b) and 103(a). The five-year provisional approval period may be extended “[i]n extraordinary cases and for good cause .... ” STANDARD 102(b). Western’s five-year provisional approval was to expire in August 2003.

In March 2002,…