Ace the UGA US/GA Constitution Challenge 2026 – Be a Constitutional Conqueror!

The amendment that was passed to overturn the Supreme Court ruling in the 1793 case Chisholm v. Georgia is the 11th Amendment. This case involved a dispute where the Supreme Court ruled that a state could be sued in federal court by a citizen of another state. The decision was controversial and led to significant backlash from the states, particularly Georgia, which felt that the ruling infringed upon state sovereignty.

In response to the ruling, the 11th Amendment was adopted in 1795. It restricts the ability of individuals to bring suit against a state in federal court, essentially ensuring that states cannot be sued by citizens of other states or foreign nations. This was a significant shift meant to protect state rights and affirm the principle of sovereign immunity, which indicates that the state cannot commit a legal wrong and is immune from civil suit or criminal prosecution.

This context clarifies the importance of the 11th Amendment as a direct reaction to the implications of the Chisholm decision, cementing the protective barrier of states from certain types of legal claims in federal courts.