Opinion ID: 1788483
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claim Against the State Commission

Text: Before we address the merits of Appellant's points of appeal, we must first address Appellees' argument that the trial court lacked jurisdiction pursuant to Article 5, Section 20, of the Arkansas Constitution of 1874 to hear Appellant's claim against the state agency. Article 5, Section 20, of the Arkansas Constitution provides that, [t]he State of Arkansas shall never be made defendant in any of her courts. This court has consistently interpreted this constitutional provision as a grant of sovereign immunity and a general prohibition against awards of money damages in lawsuits against the State of Arkansas and its institutions. See, e.g., Smith v. Denton, 320 Ark. 253, 895 S.W.2d 550 (1995); Fireman's Ins. Co. v. Arkansas State Claims Comm'n, 301 Ark. 451, 784 S.W.2d 771, cert. denied, 498 U.S. 824, 111 S.Ct. 76, 112 L.Ed.2d 50 (1990). The doctrine of sovereign immunity is rigid and, as such, the immunity may be waived only in limited circumstances. State v. Staton, 325 Ark. 341, 934 S.W.2d 478 (1996). Sovereign immunity is jurisdictional immunity from suit. Department of Human Servs. v. Crunkleton, 303 Ark. 21, 791 S.W.2d 704 (1990). Simply put, where the suit is one against the State and there has been no waiver of immunity, the trial court acquires no jurisdiction. Staton, 325 Ark. 341, 934 S.W.2d 478. In Fireman's Ins. Co., 301 Ark. 451, 784 S.W.2d 771, this court discussed the nature of the State's immunity from suit and this court's historical interpretation of it: The completeness of the intent of such immunity is best illustrated by the long and unequivocal line of cases expressly recognizing and protecting the immunity. As early as Pitcock v. State, 91 Ark. 527, 121 S.W. 742 (1913 [1909]), this court held that the constitutional prohibition was not merely declaratory that the state could not be sued without her consent, but that all suits against the state were expressly forbidden. Further, where the pleadings show that the action is, in effect, one against the state, the trial court acquires no jurisdiction. Extending this immunity to its next logical step, we held that where a suit is brought against an agency of the state with relation to some matter in which the defendant represents the state in action and liability, and the state, though not a party of record, is the real party in interest so that judgment for plaintiff would operate to control the action of the state or to subject the state to liability, the action is, in effect, one against the state and prohibited by the constitutional bar. Page v. McKinley, 196 Ark. 331, 118 S.W.2d 235 (1938). See also, Beaulieu v. Gray, 288 Ark. 395, 705 S.W.2d 880 (1986). Id. at 455, 784 S.W.2d at 773-74. This court has recognized exceptions to the doctrine of sovereign immunity where an act of the legislature has created a specific waiver of immunity, State v. Tedder, 326 Ark. 495, 932 S.W.2d 755 (1996), and where the State is the moving party seeking specific relief. Fireman's Ins. Co., 301 Ark. 451, 784 S.W.2d 771; Parker v. Moore, 222 Ark. 811, 262 S.W.2d 891 (1953). Obviously, where the State is the moving party, it is prohibited from raising sovereign immunity as a defense to any counterclaim or offset. Parker, 222 Ark. 811, 262 S.W.2d 891. Appellant has chosen not to respond directly to Appellees' argument concerning lack of jurisdiction, but he maintains that jurisdiction is implied from Ark.Code Ann. § 19-4-1614(a) (Repl.1994), which provides in pertinent part: In the event an employee of the State of Arkansas, or the authorized agent of the employee, files suit against the State of Arkansas in a court of competent jurisdiction for relief under the provisions of Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, or the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1866, or the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1871, or the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and the court finds for the employee and in so finding awards wages or salaries for personal services rendered in addition to wages or salaries already paid or due, the additional wages or salaries shall be paid from the regular salary appropriation from which the employee is normally paid. [Emphasis added.] Appellant construes this section to provide that the State of Arkansas may be sued in her own courts provided the basis of the suit is one grounded in the federal acts and constitutional provisions outlined in that section. Appellant insists that this provision amounts to an implied waiver of the State's immunity by the legislature. We construe that section, codified within the State Accounting and Budgetary Procedures, to provide nothing more than a means for the payment of such judgments against the State. We do not interpret that section as creating a waiver of the State's immunity from suit in her own courts. Nor are we persuaded by Appellant's argument that if section 19-4-1614(a) does not provide for an employee's suit against the State in the courts of this State, then the provision becomes meaningless. Appellant may pursue such claims in federal court. We thus conclude the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear this claim pursuant to the doctrine of sovereign immunity; hence, we affirm the ultimate dismissal of the claim with prejudice.