Immunity
Immunity: Protection from a legal duty, lawsuit or prosecution. Examples include sovereign immunity, which shields governments from many lawsuits; qualified immunity, which protects government officials from damages unless they violated clearly established rights (Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800 (1982)); and witness immunity, which bars use of compelled testimony against the witness (18 U.S.C. § 6002).
What immunity means
In short, immunity is a term you will meet in court papers, rules and legal research. The definition above gives its usual meaning in American civil practice. However, the exact meaning can depend on the rule, statute or court decision that uses it. So it helps to read the term in context.
Where immunity comes up
The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.
Read the source: 18 U.S.C. § 6002.
How to research the term
To research immunity, begin with the rule, statute or contract where the word is used. Each one can give it a slightly different meaning. Then compare that text with how courts in your area have applied it. Also check the local rules of your court, since they can add requirements. If your case is in state court, the state rules control. So start with our state procedures guide to find them. In the end, always confirm that the source you rely on is current.
You can read the current federal court rules online for free.
Related legal terms
- Hold harmless: a contract clause in which one party agrees not to hold the other responsible for certain losses or claims. It is often paired with an indemnity promise to pay for those losses. How far a hold-harmless clause reaches depends on its wording and on state law.
- Holder: under UCC § 1-201(b)(21)(A), the person in possession of a negotiable instrument payable to bearer or to that identified person.
- Holder in due course: a holder who took a negotiable instrument for value, in good faith and without notice of listed problems, and so takes free of many defenses.
- Idem sonans: latin for "sounding the same." The rule that a misspelled name in a legal document is still sufficient if, when pronounced, it sounds the same as the correct name, so that no one is misled.
Why precise terms matter
Courts read legal terms closely. As a result, knowing the exact meaning of a word helps you follow orders, rules and filings. Each glossary entry on Lawtopolis is short on purpose and links to the pages where the term is used.
Sources
Sources last reviewed: 2026-10-24
Lawtopolis provides legal information and education, not legal advice. Using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and court rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time; verify every authority against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction about your situation.