Court won't get back into firefighter disputes
By Associated Press
Jun 11, 2012 10:35 AM CDT

The Supreme Court has decided not to get involved again in fire departments' hiring and promotion disputes.

The high court on Monday turned away appeals involving departments in New Haven, Conn. and New Jersey's Hudson County.

Justices ruled in 2010 that New Haven violated white firefighters' civil rights by throwing out an exam in which no African-Americans scored high enough to be promoted to lieutenant or captain. The court on Monday refused to stop a lawsuit against the city from African American firefighters who say that exam was unfair. The case now goes back to trial court.

The court also refused to hear an appeal from North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue, which was sued over its requirement that prospective firefighters live in one of five Hudson County towns.