Brief Fact Summary. The Petitioner, Defenders of Wildlife (Petitioner), an organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, sued the Defendant, the Secretary of Interior (the Secretary), (Defendant) for promulgating a rule that would allegedly increase the rate of extinction of endangered wildlife.
Synopsis of Rule of Law. In order to have standing to sue, a party must show that it has or will suffer actual or imminent injuries.
One who prosecutes or defends a suit in the name of another to establish and protect his own right, or who assists in the prosecution or defense of an action in aid of some interest of his own is as much bound as he would be if he had been a party to the record.
View Full Point of LawIssue. Did Respondents have standing to sue?
Held. No.
Respondent’s claim constitutes a generalized grievance. Even if the Court were to assume agency-funded projects threatened the wildlife at issue, the fact that Respondents “had visited” the habitats of animals and had “some day” intentions of going back to see them proves nothing. Without asserting concrete plans to return to see the animals, Respondents fail to show the “actual or imminent” injury the Court requires to have standing to sue.
Moreover, as to redressability, Respondent fails because the agencies funding the projects, which were capable of redressing the injury, would not have been bound by a suit against the Secretary found in Respondent’s favor.
Dissent. Justice Harry Blackmun stated that the requirement of showing “concrete plans” is an empty formula.
Concurrence. Justice Anthony Kennedy (J. Kennedy) stated that while it may seem trivial to require Respondents to acquire airline tickets or announce a day certain when they will return to the site; this is not a case in which it is reasonable to assume they will return. I am not willing to foreclose the theory upon which Respondents base their claim for standing, however.
Justice John Paul Stevens stated that a person, who has visited the critical habitat of an endangered species, has professional interest in preserving the species and thus, has standing. I concur in the judgment, however.
Discussion. The fact that Respondents were not themselves the object of the government’s action or inaction alleged to have caused the injury is noteworthy. In such cases, standing is substantially more difficult to establish.