Clapper v. Amnesty Int'l USA, 568 U.S. 398 (2013)
The case of Clapper v. Amnesty International USA is a cornerstone decision in the context of legal standing within the framework of constitutional law.
Whether respondents have Article III standing to challenge the constitutionality of the FISA amendments based on the alleged risk of surveillance and associated costs incurred to avoid such surveillance.
To establish Article III standing, a plaintiff must demonstrate: (1) an injury-in-fact that is concrete, particularized, and imminent; (2) a causal connection between the injury and the conduct complained of; and (3) that the injury is likely to be redressed by a favorable judicial decision.
The Supreme Court held that the respondents lacked Article III standing because their fears of surveillance were too speculative, resting on a highly attenuated chain of possibilities.
Clapper v. Amnesty International USA is significant because it limits the scope of who can bring challenges based on speculative or potential injuries in the context of surveillance and privacy. It delineates the boundaries for judicial intervention, particularly concerning claims involving national security, cementing the need for concrete injury. This decision serves as a guidepost for adjudicating standing, reiterating the parameters for what constitutes a justiciable case or controversy under Article III.