Judge Rejects Attempt By Students And Alumni To Reopen Golden Gate Law School

Downs v. Golden Gate University, No. CGC-24-612353 (CA Super. Ct. Sept. 16, 2024):

On May 31, 2023, Golden Gate University (GGU) declared a state of "financial exigency" in its law school. On November 30, 2023, GGU announced its juris doctor program would end with the 2023-24 school year. In a "teach-out" plan, GGU offered students the ability to continue studies at two other law schools — University of San Francisco and Hamline — for the same tuition. On February 14, 2024, plaintiffs sued GGU, which filed a demurrer that was sustained with leave to amend. Plaintiffs filed a first amended complaint (FAC) on August 7, 2024 and now seek an extraordinary pretrial order "to prevent" GGU "from shutting down its law school." ...

The FAC purports to plead six causes of action, but plaintiffs are unlikely to prevail on any
of them. ... IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiffs' Motion for Injunctive Release and/or Specific Performance is DENIED.

• The Recorder, Judge Rejects Students' Plea to Restart Golden Gate University's JD Program
• Reuters, California Judge Rejects Bid to Reopen 123-Year-Old Law School

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

• Struggling San Francisco Law School Slashes Class Size, Cancels Tuition (Sept. 30, 2022)
• ABA Gives Golden Gate Law School 3-Year Extension To Meet 75% Bar Passage Accreditation Standard (Mar. 30, 2023)
• Golden Gate University Law School Faces Bankruptcy, Closure (June 21, 2023)
• 122-Year Old Golden Gate Law School Will Keep Its Doors Open A Little Longer Despite Continued Financial Woes (June 26, 2023)
• Golden Gate Law School Won’t Close, But Faculty Layoffs May Be Coming (July 14, 2023)
• Golden Gate Law School Sends Discontinuation Notices To Tenured Faculty, Paving Way For Possible Termination In FY25 (July 17, 2023)
• Golden Gate Will Terminate Its JD Program In May 2024; 1Ls And 2Ls Can Complete Their Degrees At Other Law Schools (Dec. 1, 2023)
• ABA Rejects Golden Gate Law School's Plan To Terminate Its JD Program (Dec. 2, 2023)
• July 2023 California Bar Exam Results (Dec. 22, 2023)
• Students And Alumni Association Sue Golden Gate For Closing Its JD Program (Feb. 20, 2024)
• ABA Approves Golden Gate Law School's Teach-Out Plan, Releases FAQ (Mar. 8, 2024)
• Students And Alumni Seek Court-Appointed Receiver In Last Ditch Effort To Save Golden Gate Law School (May 23, 2024)
• Golden Gate Law Students Ask Court To Keep School Open Another Year (June 29, 2024)
• Students And Alumni Seek Injunction To Prevent Closure Of Golden Gate Law School (July 25, 2024)
• Judge Rejects Attempt By Students And Alumni To Block Closure Of Golden Gate Law School (Aug. 1, 2024)
• Closing Of Golden Gate Law School Leaves Students And Alumni In A Bind (Sept. 2, 2024)

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