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Simple English definitions for legal terms

Sovereign immunity

Read a random definition: documentary instruction

A quick definition of Sovereign immunity:

Sovereign immunity means that the government cannot be sued without its permission. This comes from the idea that the King could do no wrong in British common law. In the United States, the federal and state governments have sovereign immunity, but not municipalities. However, the government can choose to waive its immunity. For example, the Federal Tort Claims Act waives federal immunity for certain types of claims. There are also rules about when citizens can sue the government or state actors.

A more thorough explanation:

Definition: Sovereign immunity is the principle that the government cannot be sued without its consent.

Overview: Sovereign immunity comes from British common law and means that the King could do no wrong. In the United States, sovereign immunity usually applies to the federal and state governments, but not to municipalities. However, the federal and state governments can choose to waive their sovereign immunity. For example, the Federal Tort Claims Act waives federal immunity for certain types of tort claims.

Examples: If a person is injured during their military service, they cannot sue the federal government because of the Feres Doctrine. Also, federal employees cannot be sued for torts committed during the scope of their employment because of the Westfall Act.

Citizens Suing Their Own State: When a citizen wants to sue a state actor (someone acting on behalf of the state), courts will typically use one of four tests to determine if the actor is subject to liability:

  1. Governmental v proprietary function test: If the actor was performing a proprietary function, then they are subject to liability. If the actor was performing a governmental function, then they are not subject to liability.
  2. Ministerial/operational v. discretionary functions/acts test: If the actor is performing a ministerial/operational action, then there is no immunity. If the actor is performing a discretionary action, then there is immunity.
  3. Planning v implementational: If the actor's planning of policy results in harm, then there is immunity. If the harm happens due to the government's implementation of the plan, then there is not immunity.
  4. Non-justiciable v. justiciable: If the action is justiciable under regular tort principles, then there is no immunity. If the issue is not justiciable under regular tort principles, then there is immunity.

Citizens Suing Other States: In the past, a citizen of one state could sue another state. However, the Eleventh Amendment now prevents this from happening.

Explanation: Sovereign immunity means that the government cannot be sued without its consent. This applies to both federal and state governments, but not to municipalities. However, the government can choose to waive its immunity. There are different tests to determine if a citizen can sue a state actor, and the Eleventh Amendment prevents citizens of one state from suing another state.

South Dakota | Sovereignty

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THATS SO FUNNY
i cant i would go crazy
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
i need to know who decided to do that.
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
omg im on a plane weeeee
the devil
youre on a plane??? LSD made the mile high club??
20:50
yo splitterus are you in school already
20:50
it says ur c/o 2027
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:51
@SplitterusClitterus: HAHAH yes
ur user is hilarioussss and no i just graduated this may and am now applying ---also im out of messages so ill take a lil
20:52
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im back, r u applying this cycle too
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
this child fell asleep on me
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
im so uncomfortable
just push him off the entire seat
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:34
LMAOOOO
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
no he’s literally like 8 and he fully just put his head on my bicep and slept
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
he has since moved
22:12
@SplitterusClitterus: me yesterday
gulc baby pls text me back... i miss you ...... :(
22:23
i just went into a discord vc and yelled "YALL I JUST GOT INTO J.M. SCHOOL OF LAW"
22:24
people were getting excited :sob:
22:25
then someone was like "what does jm stand for" and i was like .. well
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JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:39
@splitty Oregon!
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JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:45
haha my brother and sister in law live there
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