Amendment XI: Misconstruing Justice

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.

This amendment, a change to Article III of the Constitution, basically iterates a rule that one cannot use the federal government to sue state government. One of the reasons for this amendment was the Supreme Court case Chisholm v. Georgia (1793) which affirmed that one could sue states in federal court. This was eventually seen as a breech in state's rights and the 11th amendment was born.

Interestingly, Puerto Rico enjoys Eleventh Amendment immunity as given to it by the US State Court of Appeals.

State's rights are protected, but what does this mean if you wanted to sue a state? How can you do it now?

Is it not wonderful that a HOR minority leader that claims to be "with the Constitution" doesn't even know it?

Make sure to comment and discuss about this amendment, why should Puerto Rico receive immunity or why should it not? What do you think of Nancy Pelosi's gross misquoting of the Constitution she claims to support? What are the implications of a politician of her stature committing this error? Comment below!

For more information about this amendment and it's birth, click here.