Opinion ID: 1813678
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Presuit Filing Procedure

Text: The Appellants argue that the district court did not have jurisdiction. The court, however, found that it had jurisdiction under § 25-21,206, which waives immunity in this dispute. Under the Nebraska Constitution, [t]he state may sue and be sued, and the Legislature shall provide by law in what manner and in what courts suits shall be brought. [9] This provision permits the State to lay its sovereignty aside and consent to be sued on such terms and conditions as the Legislature may prescribe. [10] It is not self-executing, however, but instead requires legislative action for waiver of the State's sovereign immunity. [11] Waiver of sovereign immunity will be found only where stated by the most express language or by such overwhelming implications from the text as will leave no room for any other reasonable construction. [12] Under § 25-21,206, [t]he state may be sued in the district court of the county wherein the capital is situated in any matter founded upon or growing out of a contract, express or implied, originally authorized or subsequently ratified by the Legislature, or founded upon any law of the state. The Appellants concede that this is a contractual dispute and that § 25-21,206 waives immunity. But they contend that jurisdiction is lacking even though immunity is waived under § 25-21,206. They argue that our case law requires that the Officers present their contract claims to legislatively designated state agencies or offices before judicial review.