#4 · 2026-08-10 · Legal term
Standing
Article III standing generally requires a concrete and particularized actual or imminent injury, traceability to the defendant, and likely redress by the requested relief. A generalized objection to unlawful government action alone is insufficient.
Rule to remember
Article III standing is the requirement that a federal plaintiff show a personal injury in fact, fairly traceable to the defendant, that favorable judicial relief will likely redress.
Key elements and checks
- Concrete, particularized, actual or imminent injury in fact.
- Fair traceability to the defendant's challenged conduct.
- Likely redressability by the requested relief.
In the source’s words
“It must be likely, rather than speculative, that a favorable decision by the court will redress the injury.”
Cornell Wex — Standing
This describes federal constitutional standing; state-court tests and additional statutory questions differ. Ripeness instead focuses on whether a dispute is sufficiently developed.