Civil rights advocates say that the decision makes it much more difficult for women and minorities to challenge practices that exclude them.

But "now that there's this decision, the industry will challenge" such practices, he said.

Mr. Bacot was known in the industry for his willingness to challenge accepted practices.

And we must challenge irresponsible, predatory practices wherever we find them.

In June some 300 companies agreed to pay $1 billion to escape litigation that challenged practices in initial stock offerings.

Coming to the fore in the 1960s, an anti-psychiatry movement challenged the fundamental claims and practices of mainstream psychiatry.

A test of the city's willingness to challenge past practices occurs in this year's labor negotiations.

It could challenge unfair competition and practices in trade and commerce.

The new experience also helped to challenge current technological practices by showing the assumptions made in familiar settings.

Although racial discrimination continued in England, this case was the first to challenge such practices in court.