Importantly, Judge Wright ruled that evidence of any pattern or practice of comparable conduct by the president was not important to the case.

CNN: Transcript: White House Counsel Ruff's opening statement

Our pattern or practice investigation of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) marked the first time ever that the Justice Department found reasonable cause to believe that a police department had engaged in a pattern or practice of gender-biased policing.

WHITEHOUSE: Council on Women and Girls Blog

"There is a regular pattern and practice of not producing memos, minutes, reports, and e-mails, " Biller said.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The lawsuit charges that the sheriff's office "unlawfully instituted a pattern and practice of targeting Latino drivers and passengers in Maricopa County during traffic stops, " the ACLU said in a statement.

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In one of its most sensitive police "pattern or practice" investigations to date, the Justice Department is now working to get Los Angeles city officials to sign a consent decree authorizing a third party to monitor the city's Police Department and imposing other safeguards.

CNN: latimes.com: Bush sees U.S. as meddling in local police affairs