The future of the U.S. Naval Academy’s admissions process is now in the hands of a federal judge.

After a nearly two-week-long trial in a Baltimore district courtroom, Judge Richard Bennett will weigh whether the Annapolis-based military school will be allowed to continue considering race when selecting students — a practice it has said is already very limited. Students for Fair Admissions, the group that won landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina last year, sued the Naval Academy, alleging that its efforts to boost minority enrollment discriminate against white applicants and violate their Fifth Amendment rights to equal protection.

Bennett, appointed to the bench in 2003 by President George W. Bush, said he would likely issue a decision within six to seven weeks — early to mid-November. An appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could follow.

During a nearly hourlong closing argument Thursday morning, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, Patrick Strawbridge, contended racial classifications say “nothing about who you are” or “how you represent your country.”

“Heroism ... does not depend on someone’s race,” he said, drawing on his experience as the son of a naval captain and the father of a service member.

Strawbridge argued the Naval Academy could not articulate a clear reason for why it uses race in its admissions, nor had it adequately considered alternatives to race-conscious admissions policies. He added that “there are no real studies or evidence” that diversity improves a military’s lethality or effectiveness.

Strawbridge accused the Naval Academy of “balancing” the number of applicants it admits from racial groups each year, noting the Supreme Court struck down Harvard’s admissions policies for the same reason. That ruling did not apply to military colleges.

In response, Department of Justice lawyers said the Naval Academy is different from the civilian universities at the center of the Supreme Court case because of its role in defending the nation and producing military leaders. Approximately 40% of senior Naval officers are graduates of the Naval Academy, defense attorney Catherine Yang said during a 45-minute closing argument.

“The plaintiff has tried to fit this case within the Harvard box ... but the military context is unique,” Yang said.

Yang argued that diversity is a “national security imperative” because militaries are more effective when they reflect a diversity of experiences and backgrounds. “The military’s No. 1 asset,” she said, “is its people.”

Yang said it was “offensive and baseless” to suggest the Naval Academy was lowering its standards to admit minority applicants. She added that the Naval Academy “absolutely does not use race in isolation” when making admissions decisions and said there are many aspects of the admissions process where race is not a consideration.

Without race-conscious admissions policies, Yang warned minority enrollment at the Naval Academy would fall.

The court concluded eight days of testimony on Wednesday, as both sides rested their case.

Witnesses for the defense testified that race-conscious admissions policies had improved racial and ethnic diversity within leadership ranks of the Navy, though they conceded that more progress was needed. In 2022, Black individuals made up approximately 14% of the U.S. population but just 8.3% of the Navy’s officer corps, according to court documents. Meanwhile, white individuals represented 59% of the population but 75.5% of the officer corps.

Students for Fair Admissions has also filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The case against the Naval Academy is its first against a military school to go to trial.

Following closing arguments, Bennett commended both sides for how they handled proceedings on a polarizing topic. The public “should take great comfort” in the civility each side displayed, he said.

Throughout proceedings, attorneys frequently referred to the other side as “my friend.”

“This may be a highlight of your careers. ... You all should be very proud,” Bennett added before the lawyers shook each other’s hands.