Younger Abstention Law and Legal Definition
Younger abstention is a principle that prohibits the federal courts from interfering into a state court’s authority to enforce its laws in its courts. This principle usually refrain the federal court from hearing constitutional challenges to state action. This principle of abstention evolved from the case namely, Younger v. Harris. [401 U.S. 37 (U.S. 1971)].
There are certain exceptions to the principle of younger abstention. They are:
1. Where the prosecution is in bad faith;
2. Where the prosecution is part of some pattern of harassment against an individual; or
3. Where the law being enforced is utterly and irredeemably unconstitutional.
