Legal Definitions - Sovereignty

Definition: Sovereignty is the highest power or authority in a country or state. It means that the person or group with sovereignty has complete control over the government and its laws. In a monarchy, the king or queen is the sovereign. In a democracy, the people are the sovereign and they exercise their power through elected representatives.

For example, in the United States, the Constitution gives sovereignty to the people. This means that the government can only make laws that the people agree to. The government cannot take away the people's rights or freedoms without their consent.

Sovereignty also means that the person or group with this power is autonomous, which means they are not subject to the control of others. This is why sovereign nations have the right to make their own decisions without interference from other countries.

Two other important aspects of sovereignty are eminent domain and sovereign immunity. Eminent domain is the right of the sovereign to take private property for public use. For example, if the government needs to build a new highway, they can use eminent domain to take land from private owners. Sovereign immunity is the protection that the sovereign has from being sued. This means that the government cannot be sued without its consent.