Case: NARCISO BASSO v. THE UNITED STATES
Abbreviation: Basso v. United States
Decision Date: 1915-10
Docket Number: 
Citation: 51 Ct. Cl. 481
Volume: 51
Reporter: United States Court of Claims Reports
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction: United States
Parties: NARCISO BASSO v. THE UNITED STATES.
Judges: 
Pages: 481–482

Head Matter:
NARCISO BASSO v. THE UNITED STATES.
[Not reported in O. Cls. R.; 239 U. S. R., 602.]
On the plaintiff's appeal.
No opinion was delivered by the court below, but judgment was rendered for the defendants on the question of jurisdiction. On appeal the judgment was affirmed, and the Supreme Court decided :
The rule that the Court of Claims has not jurisdiction of actions founded on tort is based on a policy imposed by the necessity that governments are not liable for unauthorized wrongs inflicted on the citizens by their officers, even though occurring while engaged in discharge of official duties. Sohillinger v. United States, 155 U. S. 163.
Congress has wisely reserved to itself the right to give or withhold relief where the claim is founded on the wrongful proceedings of an officer of the Government. SehAlUnger v. United States, 155 U. S. 163.
Neither Dooley v. United States, 182 U. S. 222, nor United States v. Lynah, 188 U. S. 445, sustaining jurisdiction of the Court of Claims in cases respectively to recover sums wrongfully exacted for taxes and for compensation for property taken for public purposes, overrules, or is antagonistic to Sclbillkiger v. United States, 155 U. S. 163, which is subsisting authority of this court that the Court of Claims has no jurisdiction of an action for a claim for private injury to an individual through the tortious act of an officer of the United States.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice McKenna
delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court January 17, 1916.