The Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity prohibits suits against state government in which courts?

• A. No suits against state government in federal courts
• B. No suits against private individuals in state courts
• C. No suits against state government in state courts
• D. No suits against state government in any court

Answer: (C)

Sovereign immunity centers on the idea that a government cannot be forced into litigation without its permission. A state is a sovereign entity, so, by default, it cannot be sued in its own courts unless it has waived that immunity. That means suits against the state government generally cannot proceed in state courts unless the state has expressly consented, such as through a waiver statute or constitutional provision. This is why the best answer aligns with the idea that, without consent, there are no lawsuits against the state government in state courts. If a state does choose to waive immunity, or lawfully allows suits under its statutes, then actions can proceed in those forums; otherwise, the default is protection from suit in its own courts.