Law
The Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity in International Law
Quick fact
The principle of sovereign immunity originated from the maxim 'par in parem non habet imperium' — an equal has no power over an equal. This means one state cannot judge another's acts in its own courts.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a company wanting to sue a foreign government for breaking a contract. Could they? In many cases, the answer is no — because of a powerful rule called sovereign immunity.