The difference between de facto and de jure segregation is that

• A. the former results from private choices, the latter from public law.
• B. the former results from public law, the latter from private choices.
• C. the former existed in the past, the latter continues in the present.
• D. the former continues in the present, the latter existed in the past.

Answer: (A)

Segregation that exists in practice due to everyday social patterns and private choices is de facto, while segregation that is required or enforced by government law is de jure. De facto happens when housing, schooling, and neighborhood dynamics produce separation without legal mandates—results of private decisions, market forces, or discriminatory practices not codified in law. De jure, on the other hand, is built into public statutes or official policy and is enforced by the state.

So the correct distinction is that de facto comes from private choices and social patterns, whereas de jure comes from public law and official policy.