Ripeness

Definition of Ripeness

Note: See a more comprehensive approach to the Ripeness legal concept in the American Law Encyclopedia

Readiness of a case for judicial response. Ripeness involves whether a case has matured sufficiently to require the exercise of judicial power. Courts only exercise power in cases where there are bona fide legal controversies. Cases that are not ripe may not have fully developed as controversies worthy of judicial attention. If, for example, a person wishes to challenge a decision of an administrative agency, the person must have exhausted all appeals options within the agency before turning to the courts. If those other options are not pursued first, the case is not yet “ripe” for judicial resolution; it has come to the courts too early.

See Also

Justiciable Issue (Law of the United States) Standing (Law of the United States).

Resources

Ripeness Related Resources

• Ripeness in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Civil Judicial Process Keywords in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Civil Process Keywords in the International Legal Dictionary

Notes

• “Ripeness”, The American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Ripeness (Civil Judicial Process)