7.20 Equal Protection: Class of One is a legal concept that provides protection from discrimination for individuals who are treated differently than everyone else in their class or group. This is different from traditional Equal Protection Clause cases, which focus on protecting classes of people from discrimination. Under the Class of One doctrine, a plaintiff must show that they have been treated differently than everyone else in the same class or group, and that this treatment was based on malice or irrationality. The doctrine has been applied to cases involving government employees, public housing, public services, and other areas of the law. It may also be applied to private actors, depending on the jurisdiction. There are two types of 7.20 Equal Protection: Class of One: the traditional Equal Protection Clause cases and the Class of One cases.