411 U.S. 792 (1973) Cited 52,426 times 95 Legal Analyses
Holding in employment discrimination case that statistical evidence of employer's general policy and practice may be relevant circumstantial evidence of discriminatory intent behind individual employment decision
450 U.S. 248 (1981) Cited 20,008 times 9 Legal Analyses
Holding in the Title VII context that the plaintiff's prima facie case creates "a legally mandatory, rebuttable presumption" that shifts the burden of proof to the employer, and "if the employer is silent in the face of the presumption, the court must enter judgment for the plaintiff"
Holding that although governmental employer applied the wrong standards in determining the plaintiff's pay grade “[t]here is absolutely no evidence” that it was due to “anything but an honest mistake” and standing alone, without something more, could not give rise to a reasonable inference of intentional discrimination