Sovereign Immunity

Category: legal

A legal doctrine that prevents the government or its agencies from being sued without their consent.

While often waived in modern law (via acts like the Federal Tort Claims Act), sovereign immunity still protects the state in specific circumstances. Suing the government usually requires following strict procedural rules and filing deadlines that differ from private lawsuits.

Common Examples

• The city raised sovereign immunity as a defense against the road-hazard suit, citing the lack of a specific waiver for that type of maintenance.
• Sovereign immunity is the reason why suing the government is infinitely more complex than suing a private individual for a similar tort.