The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a petition for certiorari, concluding a multi-year legal challenge to a California law school's decision to change its name. The denial allows the institution to remove "Hastings" from its official designation, solidifying a lower court ruling in its favor.
The legal dispute centered on the institution's historical association with Serranus Hastings, its founder, who was implicated in financing violence against Native American communities in the 19th century. The law school's board voted to change the name after deliberation and public input. Advocates argued the continued use conflicted with the school's commitment to social justice.
The Supreme Court's decision leaves intact the state appellate court's ruling affirming the law school's authority to alter its name. The institution had already initiated steps to transition its branding, official documents, and campus signage in anticipation of a favorable outcome. The renaming process can now proceed without further legal impediment.
