What is Standing to Sue in a Civil Trial?

Standing is the requirement that a person have a legally recognizable interest in a dispute before the court.

In summary, to seek redress before the court, a person must suffer a loss or harm caused by the defendant(s).

Why is Standing required in a civil trial?

This rule seeks to ascertain that there is indeed an adversarial relationship between the plaintiff and the defendant. To have standing, a plaintiff must demonstrate two things to the court:

• Legal Wrong – The complaint, as written, must demonstrate a legal controversy. That is, there must be a legal wrong that took place. A legal wrong is an action that is prohibited by law and, if proven, may allow the plaintiff redress.
• Personal Stake – The plaintiff must show that she has a personal stake in the dispute or controversy with the named defendant. This means that she must be the one wronged. For example, a plaintiff cannot generally sue someone for harming another person who is not closely related to her. While she may be negatively affected, she is not the individual directly suffering the harm. Her harm is incidental.

Standing does not depend upon the validity or merits of the case. It only depends upon the relationship and nature of the controversy between the parties.

Standing is determined at the time of filing the action. It does not matter if the plaintiff suffers harm at some time well after the dispute arises.

She must have suffered the harm prior to the commencement of the action.

Relevant Cases on Standing

From Sosna v. Iowa, 419 U.S. 393 (1975),

It is axiomatic that Art. III of the Constitution imposes a “threshold requirement . . . that those who seek to invoke the power of federal courts must allege an actual case or controversy.” O’Shea v. Littleton, 414 U.S. 488, 493; To satisfy the requirement, plaintiffs must allege “some threatened or actual injury,” Linda R. S. v. Richard D., 410 U.S. 614, 617, that is “real and immediate” and not conjectural or hypothetical. Golden v. Zwickler, 394 U.S. 103, 108-109. Furthermore, and of greatest relevance here: “The fundamental aspect of standing is that it focuses on the party seeking to get his complaint before a federal court and not on the issues he wishes to have adjudicated.