Legal Standing Under the Establishment Clause
The Salazar v. Buono Lawsuit
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The Establishment Clause prohibits government actions that would provide preferential treatment of one religion over another or preferential treatment of religion generally over nonreligion. Alleged violations under the Establishment Clause must meet a threshold requirement known as standing, the legal principle that governs whether an individual is the proper party to raise an issue before the courts. Standing is a constitutional principle that serves as a restraint on the power of Federal courts to render decisions. Under…