What is a core tenet of the Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity?

• A. No suits against state government in state courts
• B. No suits against state government in federal courts
• C. Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over state matters
• D. Individuals can sue states in any court

Answer: (A)

Sovereign immunity rests on the principle that a government cannot be sued without its consent. That means a state generally cannot be sued in its own courts unless the state has waived that immunity or otherwise allowed the suit through statute. This idea captures why the statement about no suits against the state government in state courts is the best reflection of the doctrine: the state’s consent is a prerequisite to litigation, just as immunity limits suits in other contexts. In federal court, this immunity is reinforced by the Eleventh Amendment, with exceptions only when the state consents or when a suit seeks prospective relief against state officials under specific doctrines.