← All Authorities
United States younger abstentioncomityequitable relief

Younger v. Harris

Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971)
JurisdictionUnited States
CourtSupreme Court of the United States
Year1971
StatusBinding authority

Key Principle

Out of respect for federalism and comity ('Our Federalism'), federal courts must abstain from enjoining a pending state criminal prosecution absent extraordinary circumstances—such as bad-faith prosecution, a patently unconstitutional statute, or other irreparable injury that cannot be remedied in the state proceeding.

Area of Law

General

Related Cases

Klein v. Martin 607 U. S. 213 (2026)
Ellingburg v. United States 607 U.S. ___ (2026)
Inc. v. Palmquist 607 U.S. 421 (2026)

Ask CommonBench about this case

Get a detailed analysis of Younger v. Harris and how it applies to your situation.

Explain Younger v. Harris