pattern or practice case
pattern-or-practice case. A lawsuit, often a class action, in which the plaintiff attempts to show that the defendant has systematically engaged in discriminatory activities, esp. by means of policies and procedures. • Typically, such a case involves employment discrimination, housing discrimination, or school segregation. A plaintiff must usu. show that a defendant’s behavior forms a pattern of actions or is embedded in routine practices but that inferences of executive or official complicity may be drawn from a consistent failure to respond to complaints or implement corrective measures.
