Cite as: 523 U. S. 1 (1998)
Stevens, J., dissenting
that he had standing to bring that challenge while he remained in prison, the mootness question, as framed by the Court, is whether he continues to have " 'a "personal stake in the outcome" of the lawsuit' " that is likely to be redressed by a favorable decision. Ante, at 7.2
Given the serious character of a finding that petitioner is guilty of forcible rape, that question must be answered affirmatively. It may well be true that many prisoners have already caused so many self-inflicted wounds to their good names that an additional finding of guilt may have only a de minimis impact on their reputations. I do not believe, however, that one can say that about a finding that an individual has committed a serious felony.3 Moreover, even if one may question the wisdom of providing a statutory remedy to redress such an injury, I surely cannot accept the view
lated Parole Conditions #1, #6, and #7, id., at 55-56, it found that petitioner was guilty of forcible rape. See also Brief for Respondents 1 ("Spencer violated condition #1 by committing the crime of rape"). In addition, even apart from the rape finding, it is undisputed that the board found that petitioner used or possessed drugs, and that he used or possessed a dangerous weapon (which was only alleged to have been used during the rape). App. 55-56.
2 The "personal stake in the outcome" formulation of the test, which has been repeatedly quoted in our cases, was first articulated in this excerpt from the Court opinion in Baker v. Carr, 369 U. S. 186, 204 (1962): "Have the appellants alleged such a personal stake in the outcome of the controversy as to assure that concrete adverseness which sharpens the presentation of issues upon which the court so largely depends for illumination of difficult constitutional questions? This is the gist of the question of standing."
3 See, e. g., Liberty Lobby, Inc. v. Anderson, 746 F. 2d 1563, 1568 (CADC 1984) (opinion of Scalia, J.) ("It is shameful that Benedict Arnold was a traitor; but he was not a shoplifter to boot, and one should not have been able to make that charge while knowing its falsity with impunity. . . . Even the public outcast's remaining good reputation, limited in scope though it may be, is not inconsequential"), vacated and remanded, on other grounds, 477 U. S. 242 (1986).
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