Sovereign immunity prevents which of the following?

• A. Bringing a suit against a government.
• B. The government from collecting taxes.
• C. Local communities from enacting codes.
• D. A citizen from appealing an administrative decision.

Answer: (A)

Sovereign immunity means you can’t sue the government without its consent. This principle directly bars bringing a lawsuit against the government unless a statute waives immunity or authorizes a suit. That’s why the action described in the question—the ability to file a suit against the government—is what sovereign immunity restricts.

The other options aren’t about suing the government: collecting taxes is a core governmental function enabled by law, not prevented by immunity; local communities enacting codes are exercises of police power to regulate conduct and health and safety, which immunity does not block; and appealing an administrative decision is a procedural remedy, typically governed by statutes and administrative rules, not by the government’s immunity from being sued. In short, immunity primarily prevents lawsuits against the government, not its taxing power, regulatory enactments, or ordinary appeal rights.