sovereign immunity News

No Sovereign Immunity for Virginia City or Truck Driver In-Between Garbage Pick-Ups

The Virginia Court of Appeals has ruled that a trial court erred in finding that a garbage truck driver and the city of Chesapeake were shielded by sovereign immunity for their role in an accident caused by the truck driver …

Judge Throws Out Lawsuit Over Mine Sinkholes in South Dakota

A judge in South Dakota has thrown out a lawsuit brought by dozens of neighbors in a Rapid City-area subdivision whose homes were built above an old, underground mine linked to sinkholes in the neighborhood. Circuit Court Judge Eric J. …

Texas High Court: No Immunity for City that Closed Flood Gate During Downpour

Eleven property owners whose homes were flooded after a city of Brownsville official closed a flood gate may proceed with their claims against the city because of a statute that waives governmental immunity for damages caused by motor-driven equipment, the …

Judge Dismisses Youth Climate Change Lawsuit Against Virginia

A Virginia judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed on behalf of 13 young people who claim that the state’s permitting of fossil fuel projects is exacerbating climate change and violating their constitutional rights. The lawsuit filed by Our Children’s …

Supreme Court: Vet Who Lost Job as Texas Trooper Can Sue State

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a former state trooper to sue Texas over his claim that he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq. The justices ruled for Army veteran Le Roy …

Six Years After Deadly Police Chase, Georgia High Court Limits Insurer’s Obligation

The headlines in 2016 provoked an outcry across Georgia: A man stole a car near the Atlanta airport, fled from police in a high-speed chase, then crashed into another vehicle, killing a woman and her two grandchildren. Six years later, …

Purchase of Insurance Does Not Waive Sovereign Immunity, Georgia Court Finds

The city of Alpharetta, Georgia, did not waive its sovereign immunity when it obtained an insurance policy, an appeals court said Thursday, two years after a man drowned in a city pool. In Sharma vs. City of Alpharetta, the state …

Appeals Court OK’s Suit Over Mississippi School Funding Disparities

A federal appeals court has affirmed that Mississippi parents may pursue a lawsuit that says the state allows grave disparities in funding between predominantly Black and predominantly white schools. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 9-8 Monday to …

Opinion: What If Public Employees Could Sue Government Over Covid-19?

Suppose you’re working in an essential industry and your employer hasn’t provided you with adequate personal protective equipment. Maybe you say to yourself, “Okay, there’s a shortage, they’re trying.” Then you discover that just a couple of years ago, your …

Iran Crash Victims May Need Political Backing in Fight for Damages

Families of the 176 people killed when Iran shot down a Ukrainian airliner face a complicated legal battle where backing from the victims’ governments may be crucial as they seek damages, legal experts said. Lawyers say many relatives will automatically …