Which of the following is a required element for constitutional standing?

• A. The plaintiff must be a resident of the state
• B. The case must involve a criminal matter
• C. Injury in fact
• D. The claim must be a class action

Answer: (C)

The essential requirement here is injury in fact. To have constitutional standing, a plaintiff must show a concrete and particularized injury that is actual or imminent and causal link to the defendant’s conduct, plus redressability by the court. That injury in fact is what gives the case a proper real issue for the court to decide. The other options don’t fit because standing does not hinge on being a resident of the state, nor does it require a criminal case, and it isn’t about whether the suit is a class action—the latter is a procedural posture, not a standing element.