Opinion ID: 164551
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Justiciability Considerations

Text: 12 As an Article III court, our jurisdiction is limited by the Constitution to cases and controversies. Allen v. Wright, 468 U.S. 737, 750, 104 S.Ct. 3315, 82 L.Ed.2d 556 (1984). Both the Supreme Court and our court have expanded that constitutional limitation, recognizing that prudential considerations founded in concern about the proper — and properly limited — role of the courts in a democratic society must also inform our determination of whether a justiciable dispute actually exists. Warth v. Seldin, 422 U.S. 490, 498, 95 S.Ct. 2197, 45 L.Ed.2d 343 (1975). Because the question of justiciability implicates this court's jurisdiction, even if neither party, nor the district court, raised the issue, it is our duty to undertake an independent examination to determine whether the dispute, as framed by the parties, presents a justiciable controversy. Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Env't, 523 U.S. 83, 95, 118 S.Ct. 1003, 140 L.Ed.2d 210 (1998); People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. Rasmussen, 298 F.3d 1198, 1202 (10th Cir.2002). As is the case here, [w]hen the case has been resolved in the district court on summary judgment grounds, a plaintiff must establish that there exists no genuine issue of material fact as to justiciability. Z.J. Gifts D-4, L.L.C. v. City of Littleton, 311 F.3d 1220, 1226 (10th Cir.2002) (internal quotation marks omitted). 13 Though raised by neither of the parties, our primary concerns regarding justiciability focus on the twin questions of whether Plaintiff has standing to maintain this action and whether the case is ripe for judicial review. While the two concepts are analytically distinct, their substantial overlap in many cases gives rise to significant confusion. See Airline Prof'ls Ass'n v. Airborne, Inc., 332 F.3d 983, 988 (6th Cir.2003). Our concern in this case is whether the Plaintiff has yet sustained any injury in fact by Defendant McCotter's actions; thus, the issues of standing and ripeness are particularly difficult to divorce. See id.; McInnis-Misenor v. Me. Med. Ctr., 319 F.3d 63, 69 (1st Cir.2003). Nonetheless, because the justiciability issues in this case implicate both doctrines, we attempt to analyze them individually.