Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Abstention is a legal doctrine that prevents federal courts from hearing cases within their jurisdiction and instead gives state courts authority over the case. This doctrine is based on federalism and allows state courts to adjudicate matters that are of particular significance to the state or its laws. Conflicts surrounding abstention commonly arise out of constitutional challenges to state laws.
The abstention doctrine can be further divided into various sub-doctrines, based on a number of Supreme Court cases that have expanded on when abstention is warranted. These cases include:
Here are some examples of how these sub-doctrines work:
These examples illustrate how the abstention doctrine works in practice and how federal courts may abstain from hearing cases in certain circumstances.