A Federal jury recently awarded nine white Chicago firefighters more than $2.3 million after determining that their 1986 lieutenant's test scores were purposely lowered in an effort to promote minorities. The lawsuit, which sought back pay and damages, alleged the city intentionally lowered the firefighters' scores in a practice called "race norming", which was made illegal by the 1991 Civil Rights Act. At the time, city officials believed the test was racially biased. According to the jury, at least eight of the firefighters would have obtained the rank of captain, and at least three of the nine may have been promoted to battalion chief by now if they had not been passed over.