“The courts of the United States do not sit to decide questions of law presented in a vacuum, but only such questions as arise in a ‘case or controversy.’ The two terms can be used interchangeably, for, we are authoritatively told, a ‘controversy,’ if distinguishable at all from a ‘case,’ is distinguishable only in that it is a less comprehensive term, and includes only suits of a civil nature.” Charles Alan Wright, The Law of Federal Courts 60 (5th ed. 1994).
case or controversy requirement
case-or-controversy requirement. The constitutional requirement that, for a federal court to hear a case, the case must involve an actual dispute. See CONTROVERSY(3); advisory opinion under OPINION(1). [Cases: Federal Courts 12.]
