Supreme Court Backs Housing Discrimination Lawsuits

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court said people who filehousing-discrimination suits don’t have to show they werevictims of intentional bias, in a blow to lenders and insurersand a surprise legal victory for the Obama administration.

The 5-4 ruling upholds a category of U.S. Fair Housing Actlawsuits that civil rights groups said are especially important-- and business groups consider particularly onerous. The courtsaid plaintiffs can base their suits on statistical evidencethat a disputed policy has a “disparate impact” on a minoritygroup.