What does Amendment 11 do?

Asked by: Prof. Rasheed Crooks  |  Last update: February 19, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (2 votes)

The 11th Amendment grants sovereign immunity to states, meaning citizens from one state, or foreign citizens, generally cannot sue another state in federal court, overturning the Supreme Court's Chisholm v. Georgia decision and preserving states' ability to avoid federal lawsuits unless they consent. It establishes that federal judicial power doesn't extend to such cases, protecting state governments from being sued in federal court by individuals, thereby reinforcing state autonomy.

What does the 11th Amendment do in simple terms?

The 11th Amendment simplifies to this: States can't be sued in federal court by citizens of another state or a foreign country, protecting them from certain lawsuits and upholding their sovereign immunity, meaning they are protected from being sued unless they consent or the federal government allows it. It was added to reverse a Supreme Court decision (Chisholm v. Georgia) that allowed a citizen to sue Georgia, showing a shift to reinforce state power against federal judicial reach.
 

What is the purpose of article 11?

Article 11 protects your right to protest by holding meetings and demonstrations with other people. You also have the right to form and be part of a trade union, a political party or any another association or voluntary group.

What is the 11th Amendment Act?

The 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1795, establishes sovereign immunity, restricting federal courts from hearing lawsuits brought by citizens of one state (or foreign nationals) against another state, thereby protecting states from being sued in federal court by out-of-state parties. It was enacted to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in Chisholm v. Georgia (1793), which had allowed such suits, and reinforced the concept that states retain immunity from suit in federal courts without their consent. 

What is the purpose of the 11th Amendment brainly?

This amendment was ratified in 1795 as a response to the Supreme Court case Chisholm v. Georgia, where the Court ruled that states could be sued by citizens of other states. The purpose of the 11th Amendment is to protect states from being subject to lawsuits brought by individuals from outside their jurisdiction.

The Eleventh Amendment Explained in 3 Minutes: The Constitution for Dummies Series

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What is the 11th Amendment in simple terms Quizlet?

rights guaranteed to all US citizens. Amendment 11. protects the states from lawsuits filed by citizens of other states or countries.

What is the Bill of right 11?

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

What President passed the 11th Amendment?

Official announcement of ratification was not made until January 8, 1798, when President John Adams in a message to Congress stated that the Eleventh Amendment had been adopted by three-fourths of the states and that it may now be deemed to be a part of the Constitution.

What is section 11 of the Constitution?

Section Eleven of the Constitution of South Africa, part of the Bill of Rights, guarantees the right to life.

Who qualifies for sovereign immunity?

In the United States, sovereign immunity typically applies to both the federal government and state government, but not to municipalities. Federal and state governments, however, have the ability to waive their sovereign immunity in whole or in part.

What is the Article 11 of Human Rights?

Article 11

No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed.

Who has the power to remove the president?

Article I, Section 2, Clause 5 grants the sole power of impeachment to the House of Representatives; Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 assigns the Senate sole responsibility to try impeachments; Article I, Section 3, Clause 7 provides that the sanctions for an impeached and convicted individual are limited to removal from ...

Is God mentioned in the US Constitution?

No, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention God, Jesus, or Christianity; its framework is secular, focusing on governmental structure, though it mentions "religion" in the First Amendment to protect religious freedom and prohibit an established religion. The only divine reference is in the signing date, "in the Year of our Lord," a common phrase of the era, not a theological statement, notes TCU Magazine.
 

Has Amendment 11 been challenged?

With the trend towards expanding states' rights in the 20th century, the Eleventh Amendment was accordingly challenged in a series of Supreme Court decisions.

Can a citizen sue their own state?

The general rule is that private citizens and groups may not sue their state in federal court due to state sovereign immunity. A state may consent to a private lawsuit in federal court, and Congress may also abrogate a state's sovereign immunity.

What does it mean to waive sovereign immunity?

A "waiver of sovereign immunity" clause is a contractual provision where a sovereign entity agrees to relinquish its legal protections against being sued, allowing it to be held accountable in a court of law, like any non-sovereign party.

What is the Article 11 law?

Article 11 Freedom of assembly and association

1Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Who can impeach Donald Trump?

Impeachment begins in the House of Representatives, where articles of impeachment are drawn up. These articles are then voted on by House members. Each article is voted on separately and requires a simple majority to pass. Once an article has been passed in the House, the president has been impeached.

What is the impact of the 11th Amendment today?

In Alden v. Maine, it ruled that the principles of the 11th Amendment extended immunity to certain suits against states in their own state courts. And in Franchise Tax Board v. Hyatt, it recognized “interstate sovereign immunity,” meaning that states cannot be sued in other state courts.

Can the President change the Constitution?

The Constitution does not give a president the power to violate the Constitution, create or change congressional statutes, or override U.S. Supreme Court decisions—no matter what the EOs say.

What are the exceptions to the 11th Amendment?

Exceptions to Eleventh Amendment Immunity. There are four situations in which state sovereign immunity cannot be invoked in federal court. The first three are exceptions to the rule: congressional abrogation, the Ex Parte Young exception, and voluntary waiver.

What caused the 11th Amendment to be created?

After a controversial 1793 Supreme Court decision allowing a suit brought by South Carolina citizens against the state of Georgia to proceed, Congress in 1794 passed the Eleventh Amendment, which provided that the judicial power would no longer extend to such suits.

What is article 11?

Parliament to regulate the right of citizenship by law. Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Part shall derogate from the power of Parliament to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of citizenship and all other matters relating to citizenship.

What are the key phrases in the 11th Amendment?

AMENDMENT XI

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.