In the Lujan case, the Supreme Court ruled that the plaintiffs could not sue two environmental agencies for rescinding a regulation because the plaintiffs could not allege that they had suffered, or were about to suffer, an injury, and therefore lacked standing. While the Endangered Species Act had authorized "any person" to bring suit against an agency alleged to be in violation of the act, the Court ruled that Congress could not create a general right to sue an agency for violating the law. Because the Constitution specifices that the president is responsible for enforcing the nation's laws, such a legislative provision would violate the separation of powers. The decision narrowed the concept of standing and made it more difficult for plaintiffs to bring suit in federal court.
June 12, 1992
View the timeline: Cases That Shaped the Federal Courts