Nov. 25, 2009 (United Press International) -- The City of New Haven, Conn., says it will promote 14 firefighters who were plaintiffs in a high-profile lawsuit over racial preferences.

City officials told WTNH-TV, New Haven, Tuesday night the promotions for the firefighters in the Ricci vs. DeStefano case would be finalized as early as possible.

The Boston Globe said Wednesday the immediate promotions were ordered by a federal judge the previous day.

Ricci vs. DeStefano accused the city of reverse discrimination and became a thorny issue in the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Sotomayor ruled as an appellate judge that the city was within its right to throw out the 2004 promotion test after no African-American firefighters scored high enough to win promotions to captain.

The Supreme Court this summer reversed the decision and sent the case back to U.S. District Court, which Tuesday issued a new ruling that the civil rights of the 14 plaintiffs had been violated and ordered their promotion.