Sovereign Immunity

The legal doctrine protecting the U.S. government from being sued without its consent.

1. Jam v. International Finance Corp.

2. Jurisdiction: United States (February 27, 2019)
3. VictimsBudha Ismail JamDefendantsInternational Finance CorporationPlaintiffsBudha Ismail JamDefense AttorneysDonald B. Verrilli, Jr.Plaintiff AttorneysJeffrey L. FisherJudgesJohn G. Roberts, Jr.InstitutionsInternational Finance CorporationSupreme Court of the United States
4. Case Tags: International Organization Immunity;Sovereign Immunity;Commercial Activity Exception;Corporate Accountability

1. Republic of Hungary v. Simon

2. Jurisdiction: United States (February 3, 2021)
3. Original Case: Republic of Hungary, et al., Petitioners v. Rosalie Simon, et al.
4. Victims<![CDATA[Rosalie Simon]]><![CDATA[Hungarian Holocaust survivors and their heirs]]>Defendants<![CDATA[Republic of Hungary]]><![CDATA[Magyar Államvasutak Zrt. (MÁV)]]>Plaintiffs<![CDATA[Rosalie Simon]]>Investigators<![CDATA[无]]>Prosecutors<![CDATA[无]]>Defense Attorneys<![CDATA[Gregory Silbert]]><![CDATA[Benjamin W. Snyder]]>Plaintiff Attorneys<![CDATA[Sarah E. Harrington]]>Judges<![CDATA[Sonia Sotomayor]]><![CDATA[John Roberts]]><![CDATA[Clarence Thomas]]><![CDATA[Samuel Alito]]><![CDATA[Elena Kagan]]><![CDATA[Neil Gorsuch]]><![CDATA[Brett Kavanaugh]]><![CDATA[Amy Coney Barrett]]>Institutions<![CDATA[Supreme Court of the United States]]><![CDATA[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]]><![CDATA[U.S. Department of Justice]]>
5. Case Tags: Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act;Holocaust restitution;Sovereign immunity;International comity

1. Thacker v. Tennessee Valley Authority

2. Jurisdiction: United States (April 29, 2019)
3. VictimsGary ThackerDefendantsTennessee Valley AuthorityPlaintiffsEstate of Gary ThackerDefense AttorneysEdwin S. KneedlerPlaintiff AttorneysShay DvoretzkyJudgesElena KaganInstitutionsU.S. Supreme CourtTennessee Valley AuthorityU.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
4. Case Tags: Federal Tort Claims Act;Sovereign Immunity;Discretionary Function Exception;U.S. Supreme Court

1. PennEast Pipeline Co. v. New Jersey

2. Jurisdiction: United States (June 29, 2021)
3. Victims<![CDATA[None]]>Defendants<![CDATA[New Jersey]]><![CDATA[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]]>Plaintiffs<![CDATA[PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC]]>Investigators<![CDATA[None]]>Prosecutors<![CDATA[None]]>Defense Attorneys<![CDATA[None]]>Plaintiff Attorneys<![CDATA[None]]>Judges<![CDATA[John G. Roberts, Jr.]]><![CDATA[Amy Coney Barrett]]>Institutions<![CDATA[Supreme Court of the United States]]><![CDATA[United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit]]>
4. Case Tags: Eminent Domain;Sovereign Immunity;Natural Gas Pipeline;Supreme Court Decision

1. Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson

2. Jurisdiction: United States (December 10, 2021)
3. Original Case: Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson
4. Victims<![CDATA[无]]>Defendants<![CDATA[Austin Reeve Jackson]]><![CDATA[Penny Clarkston]]><![CDATA[Stephen Brint Carlton]]><![CDATA[Katherine A. Thomas]]><![CDATA[Mark Lee Dickson]]><![CDATA[Texas Right to Life]]>Plaintiffs<![CDATA[Whole Woman’s Health]]><![CDATA[Alamo City Surgery Center]]><![CDATA[Brookside Women’s Medical Center]]><![CDATA[Houston Women’s Reproductive Services]]>Investigators<![CDATA[无]]>Prosecutors<![CDATA[无]]>Defense Attorneys<![CDATA[无]]>Plaintiff Attorneys<![CDATA[无]]>Judges<![CDATA[Neil Gorsuch]]><![CDATA[John Roberts]]><![CDATA[Clarence Thomas]]><![CDATA[Stephen Breyer]]><![CDATA[Samuel Alito]]><![CDATA[Sonia Sotomayor]]><![CDATA[Elena Kagan]]><![CDATA[Brett Kavanaugh]]><![CDATA[Amy Coney Barrett]]>Institutions<![CDATA[Supreme Court of the United States]]><![CDATA[Texas Medical Board]]><![CDATA[Texas Board of Nursing]]><![CDATA[Texas Health and Human Services Commission]]>
5. Case Tags: Abortion Law;Texas SB 8;Private Enforcement;Sovereign Immunity

1. Turkiye Halk Bankasi A.S. v. United States

2. Jurisdiction: United States (April 19, 2023)
3. Victims<![CDATA[None]]>Defendants<![CDATA[Turkiye Halk Bankasi A.S.]]>Plaintiffs<![CDATA[United States]]>Investigators<![CDATA[None]]>Prosecutors<![CDATA[None]]>Defense Attorneys<![CDATA[None]]>Plaintiff Attorneys<![CDATA[None]]>Judges<![CDATA[Brett Kavanaugh]]>Institutions<![CDATA[Supreme Court of the United States]]><![CDATA[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]]><![CDATA[United States Department of Justice]]><![CDATA[Turkiye Halk Bankasi A.S.]]>
4. Case Tags: Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act;Iran Sanctions Evasion;Sovereign Immunity;U.S. Supreme Court

1. Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico v. Centro De Periodismo Investigativo, Inc.

2. Jurisdiction: United States (Puerto Rico) (May 11, 2023)
3. Victims<![CDATA[无]]>Defendants<![CDATA[Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico]]>Plaintiffs<![CDATA[Centro De Periodismo Investigativo, Inc.]]>Investigators<![CDATA[无]]>Prosecutors<![CDATA[无]]>Defense Attorneys<![CDATA[无]]>Plaintiff Attorneys<![CDATA[无]]>Judges<![CDATA[Elena Kagan]]><![CDATA[Clarence Thomas]]>Institutions<![CDATA[Supreme Court of the United States]]><![CDATA[United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit]]><![CDATA[Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico]]><![CDATA[Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, Inc.]]>
4. Case Tags: First Amendment;Sovereign Immunity;Puerto Rico Debt Crisis;Press Freedom

1. Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization

2. Jurisdiction: United States (June 20, 2025)
3. Victims<![CDATA[Ari Fuld]]>Defendants<![CDATA[Palestine Liberation Organization]]><![CDATA[Palestinian Authority]]>Plaintiffs<![CDATA[Miriam Fuld]]>Investigators<![CDATA[无]]>Prosecutors<![CDATA[无]]>Defense Attorneys<![CDATA[无]]>Plaintiff Attorneys<![CDATA[无]]>Judges<![CDATA[无]]>Institutions<![CDATA[Supreme Court of the United States]]><![CDATA[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]]><![CDATA[Palestine Liberation Organization]]><![CDATA[Palestinian Authority]]>
4. Case Tags: Anti-Terrorism Act;Palestine Liberation Organization;Sovereign Immunity;Supreme Court Ruling

1. Allen v. Cooper

2. Jurisdiction: United States (March 23, 2020)
3. VictimsFrederick L. AllenDefendantsRoy CooperPlaintiffsFrederick L. AllenJudgesElena KaganInstitutionsState of North Carolina
4. Case Tags: Copyright Infringement;Sovereign Immunity;U.S. Supreme Court;Copyright Remedy Clarification Act

1. Federal Republic of Germany v. Philipp

2. Jurisdiction: United States (February 3, 2021)
3. Original Case: Federal Republic of Germany v. Philipp, 592 U.S. ___ (2021)
4. VictimsWelfenschatz Collection HeirsDefendantsFederal Republic of GermanyPlaintiffsAlan PhilippGerald G. StiebelDefense AttorneysJonathan M. FreimanPlaintiff AttorneysNicholas M. O'DonnellJudgesJohn G. Roberts, Jr.InstitutionsSupreme Court of the United StatesStiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK)United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
5. Case Tags: Sovereign Immunity;Nazi-Era Art Restitution;International Law;Supreme Court Jurisprudence

1. 美国诉米勒案

2. Jurisdiction: United States (March 26, 2025)
3. Original Case: United States v. Miller
4. DefendantsDavid L. MillerProsecutorsYaira DubinDefense AttorneysLisa S. BlattJudgesKetanji Brown JacksonInstitutionsUnited States Supreme CourtInternal Revenue Service
5. Case Tags: Bankruptcy Law;Sovereign Immunity;Fraudulent Transfer;Supreme Court Decision

1. 马丁诉美国案

2. Jurisdiction: United States (October 18, 2017)
3. Original Case: Martin v. United States
4. VictimsHilliard Toi CliattCurtrina MartinG.W.DefendantsUnited States of AmericaPlaintiffsCurtrina MartinHilliard Toi CliattInvestigatorsLawrence GuerraDefense AttorneysD. John SauerPlaintiff AttorneysPatrick Michael JaicomoJudgesNeil GorsuchSonia SotomayorKetanji Brown JacksonInstitutionsSupreme Court of the United StatesFederal Bureau of InvestigationUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh CircuitInstitute for Justice
5. Case Tags: Federal Tort Claims Act;Wrong-House Raid;Sovereign Immunity;Law Enforcement Accountability