United States Fourth Circuit

When a state clearly contemplates the defense of sovereign immunity and then affirmatively and unequivocally decides to withdraw that argument, the district court may not consider the issue sua sponte.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/08/2001
• Decided 09/26/2001
• Published 09/26/2001

Judges

• Before WILKINSON, Chief Judge, and WILKINS and LUTTIG, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Jonathan Richard Siegel, George Washington University School of Law, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellant. Alisa Beth Klein, Appellate Staff, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae. Andrew Howard Baida, Solicitor General, Baltimore, MD, for Defendants-Appellees. ON BRIEF:  Deborah A. Jeon, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Maryland, Centreville, MD;  Robin R. Cockey, Cockey, Brennan & Maloney, Salisbury, MD, for Plaintiff-Appellant.  David W. Ogden, Assistant Attorney General, Lynne A. Battaglia, United States Attorney, Mark B. Stern, Appellate Staff, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae.  J. Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney General of Maryland, Scott S. Oakley, Assistant Attorney General, Amanda S. La Forge, Staff Attorney, Baltimore, MD, for Defendants-Appellees.