Opinion ID: 716733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 37 We next examine the State's assertions that Artway's ex post facto, double jeopardy, bill of attainder, and due process challenges are not ripe. Article III, as part of its case or controversy mandate, requires parties to suffer injury or come into immediate danger of suffering an injury before challenging a statute. See O'Shea v. Littleton, 414 U.S. 488, 494, 94 S.Ct. 669, 675, 38 L.Ed.2d 674 (1974). The basic rationale of the ripeness requirement is to prevent the courts, through the avoidance of premature adjudication, from entangling themselves in abstract disagreements. Abbott Labs. v. Gardner, 387 U.S. 136, 148, 87 S.Ct. 1507, 1515, 18 L.Ed.2d 681 (1967). Ripeness prevents courts from interfering with legislative enactments until it is necessary to do so, and enhances the quality of judicial decisionmaking by ensuring that cases present courts an adequate record to permit effective review and decisionmaking. See id. Ripeness involves weighing two factors: (1) the hardship to the parties of withholding court consideration; and (2) the fitness of the issues for judicial review. See 387 U.S. at 149, 87 S.Ct. at 1515-16. 7 38