John DeStefano, et al.
Respondents
Christopher J. Meade, Counsel of Record In 2003, New Haven, Connecticut, administered an examination for eligible city firefighters to determine who would be promoted to fill open captain and lieutenant positions on the force. Because city regulations required that a promotion be made from among the top-three scoring applicants, the results of the test meant that no African American candidates qualified for promotion. Rather than face a possible lawsuit from minority candidates claiming racial bias in its promotion practices, the city’s independent examination review board chose not to certify the results of the exam. Following its decision, a group of…
