 Since laws differ from state to state, a law school located in another state could not prepare a future attorney for a career in Maryland.Marshall argued in principle that "since the State of Maryland had not provided a comparable law school for blacks that Murray should be allowed to attend the white university" and stated

The circuit court judge issued a writ of mandamus ordering Raymond A. Pearson, president of the university, to admit Murray to the law school.The ruling was appealed to Maryland's highest court, the Court of Appeals.