Legal Definitions - ordinary standing rule

The ordinary standing rule refers to the fundamental legal requirements an individual or entity must satisfy to be allowed to bring a lawsuit in a court of law. It ensures that courts only hear cases from parties who have a genuine, direct, and personal stake in the outcome of the legal dispute.

To establish ordinary standing, a plaintiff (the party bringing the lawsuit) typically must demonstrate three key elements:

• Direct and Concrete Harm: The plaintiff must have suffered an actual, specific injury or loss. This harm cannot be hypothetical, generalized, or shared by the public at large; it must directly affect the plaintiff.
• Causation: The injury or loss must be fairly traceable to the challenged action or inaction of the defendant (the party being sued). In other words, the defendant's conduct must have caused the plaintiff's harm.
• Redressability: It must be likely that a favorable court decision would remedy or fix the plaintiff's injury. The court must be able to provide a meaningful solution to the problem.

Here are some examples illustrating the ordinary standing rule:

• Example 1 (Environmental Impact): Imagine a homeowner, Mr. Henderson, whose property is located directly next to a newly constructed industrial plant. After the plant begins operations, Mr. Henderson notices a strong, persistent chemical odor emanating from the plant, which causes him respiratory issues and damages the paint on his house. Mr. Henderson would likely have ordinary standing to sue the plant. He has suffered a direct and concrete harm (health problems, property damage) that is directly caused by the plant's emissions. A court could redress this harm by ordering the plant to cease the emissions or compensate him for damages.

• Example 2 (Consumer Protection): Consider Ms. Chen, who purchased a new smartphone from a major electronics retailer. Within a month, the phone's battery swells and becomes a fire hazard due to a manufacturing defect, despite Ms. Chen using it as intended. The retailer refuses to replace the phone or issue a refund. Ms. Chen would have ordinary standing to sue the retailer or manufacturer. She has experienced a direct financial loss and safety risk (a faulty, dangerous product) that was caused by the product's defect. A court could redress this by ordering a refund, replacement, or compensation for her damages.

• Example 3 (Government Regulation): Suppose a city council passes a new ordinance that prohibits all street vendors from operating within a specific downtown district. Sarah, who owns and operates a popular food truck that has been serving customers in that district for five years, sees her daily income plummet as a direct result of this ordinance. Sarah would likely have ordinary standing to challenge the ordinance in court. She has suffered a direct and concrete financial injury (loss of business income) that is directly caused by the city's specific regulatory action. A court could redress this by declaring the ordinance invalid, allowing her business to resume operations.