Legal Definitions - third-party standing

In legal terms, "standing" refers to the requirement that a party must have a sufficient stake in a dispute to bring a lawsuit. Generally, to have standing, you must show that you have suffered a direct injury or harm that can be remedied by the court. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and one significant exception is third-party standing.

Third-party standing is a legal doctrine that allows one party to bring a lawsuit on behalf of another party, even though the first party has not directly suffered the injury themselves. This is an exception to the general rule that a plaintiff must assert their own legal rights and interests. Courts typically grant third-party standing when:

• There is a close relationship between the plaintiff and the third party whose rights are being asserted.
• The third party faces significant obstacles or difficulties in asserting their own rights in court.
• The plaintiff's own injury is intertwined with the rights of the third party.

Here are some examples illustrating third-party standing:

• Example 1: Healthcare Provider Challenging Patient Restrictions

  Imagine a state passes a law that severely restricts access to a particular medical procedure, making it very difficult for patients to obtain it. A physician who regularly performs this procedure might sue the state, arguing that the law violates their patients' constitutional right to make private healthcare decisions. In this scenario, the physician is asserting the rights of their patients (the third parties). The court might grant the physician third-party standing because there is a close relationship between the doctor and their patients, and patients might face significant privacy concerns or stigma if they were to bring their own lawsuits.

• Example 2: Advocacy Group Challenging Discriminatory Policies

  Consider a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities. If a city implements a new zoning ordinance that effectively prevents the construction of accessible housing for people with mobility impairments, the organization might sue the city. The organization itself does not have a disability, but it is asserting the rights of its members and the broader community of people with disabilities (the third parties) who are directly harmed by the policy. The organization has a close relationship with its constituents and can more effectively advocate for their rights, as individual disabled persons might face financial or logistical barriers to bringing their own lawsuits.

• Example 3: Parent Asserting a Child's Educational Rights

  Suppose a public school implements a policy that requires all students to participate in a specific religious prayer during school hours, despite objections from some families. A parent of a minor child attending that school might sue the school district, arguing that the policy violates their child's constitutional right to religious freedom. Here, the parent is asserting the rights of their child (the third party). The court would likely grant the parent third-party standing due to the close familial relationship and because a minor child typically lacks the legal capacity or understanding to effectively bring a lawsuit on their own behalf.