What does sovereign immunity protect governmental entities from?

• A. All litigation, including civil rights violations
• B. Claims from individual citizens
• C. Claims relating to criminal activities
• D. Mass lawsuits against their property

Answer: (B)

Sovereign immunity is a legal doctrine that protects governmental entities from being sued without their consent. This concept is founded on the principle that the state cannot be accused of wrongdoing in the exercise of its governmental powers. The correct answer highlights that sovereign immunity specifically shields governments from claims made by individual citizens.

This protection means that citizens cannot pursue lawsuits against government entities for actions that fall within their official duties, thus limiting the ability to hold the government liable. However, there are exceptions where legislative bodies might waive this immunity, allowing certain claims to be made against them in specific circumstances.

In terms of the other choices, while sovereign immunity does offer significant protections, it does not provide blanket immunity from all litigation (including civil rights violations), as there are cases and statutes that allow for such lawsuits under specific conditions. Additionally, it does not apply to criminal activities as those must be prosecuted by the state. Lastly, mass lawsuits against the state’s property can also occur under certain statutes, particularly if the state has waived its immunity in relation to property claims.