 The Federal courts hold that this clause restricts a court's authority to rule on moot or unripe controversies over which that court may not have jurisdiction; states that follow this rule will generally not answer certified questions of state law.In some of those states, the power to issue rulings on certified questions has been granted to the courts by constitutional amendment.Many states, by legislation or by judicial rule making, have adopted a Uniform Act called the "Uniform Certification of Questions of Law Act".