Legal Definitions - jure gestionis

Jure Gestionis

Jure Gestionis is a Latin term that means "by way of doing business." It refers to a nation's commercial or private acts, as opposed to its public or governmental acts.

For example, if a foreign country owns a business in the United States and is sued for a breach of contract, that lawsuit would fall under jure gestionis because it involves the country's commercial activity. However, if the same foreign country is sued for a human rights violation committed by its military, that lawsuit would fall under jure imperii because it involves the country's public or governmental acts.

Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a foreign country is immune from lawsuits involving its public acts, but not from lawsuits involving its private or commercial acts.

The concept of jure gestionis is important in international law because it helps to determine when a foreign country can be sued in the courts of another country.