Legal Definitions - aggrieved

A person or entity is considered aggrieved when their legal rights or interests have been negatively affected or violated by the actions of another party or by a decision made by an authority. This status often grants them the standing to seek a remedy or challenge the action in a legal setting.

• Example 1: Environmental Impact

  A local community organization discovers that a new industrial development, recently approved by the city council, will discharge wastewater into a nearby river, potentially harming aquatic life and affecting the drinking water source for residents. The organization believes the approval process overlooked critical environmental regulations.

  How it illustrates: The community organization and the residents it represents are aggrieved because the city council's decision directly threatens their legal rights to a clean environment and safe drinking water. This adverse impact on their legal interests gives them grounds to challenge the development's approval in court or through administrative appeals.

• Example 2: Breach of Contract

  A software development company signs a contract with a client to deliver a custom application by a specific date, with agreed-upon features. The development company fails to deliver the application on time and the delivered version lacks several critical features, causing significant financial losses for the client.

  How it illustrates: The client is aggrieved because the software development company's failure to meet the contractual terms constitutes a breach of their legal agreement. This directly harms the client's business operations and financial interests, giving them the right to pursue legal remedies for the damages incurred.

• Example 3: Administrative Decision

  A small business owner applies for a specific operating license from a state regulatory agency, meeting all published criteria and submitting all required documentation. Despite fulfilling all requirements, the agency denies the license application without providing a clear, legally justifiable reason.

  How it illustrates: The business owner is aggrieved because their legal right to have their application processed fairly and according to established regulations has been violated. The arbitrary denial adversely affects their ability to operate their business, giving them grounds to appeal the agency's decision or seek judicial review.