In a legal context, immunity refers to a legal protection or exemption from liability or prosecution that shields individuals or entities from certain legal consequences or obligations. Immunity may arise from various sources, including constitutional provisions, statutory laws, judicial decisions, or agreements between parties. There are different types of immunity, including sovereign immunity, qualified immunity, diplomatic immunity, and witness immunity, among others. Sovereign immunity protects governments and their agencies from lawsuits under certain circumstances, while qualified immunity shields government officials from civil liability for actions performed within the scope of their official duties, provided that their conduct does not violate clearly established constitutional rights. Diplomatic immunity protects diplomats and foreign officials from prosecution or lawsuits in the host country, and witness immunity may be granted to individuals in exchange for their testimony in legal proceedings. Immunity serves various purposes in the legal system, including protecting individuals from harassment or retaliation, promoting cooperation with law enforcement and judicial proceedings, and safeguarding government sovereignty and diplomatic relations.
the state of not being susceptible
1. The state of being insusceptible to something; notably: 1. Medicine Fully protective resistance against infection. Some people have better immunity to diseases than others. 2. Law An exemption from specified duties, such as payments or services. Feudal privileges often included tax and other immunities. 3. Law An exemption from prosecution. The prosecutor offered the lieutenant immunity for all the crimes he would testify having known to be planned by the elusive drug baron. 4. In games and competitions An exemption given to a player from losing or being withdrawn from play. After winning the last round the player was granted immunity which allowed him to stay in the game even after receiving the least amount of points. 2. A resistance to a specific thing.
Immunity is offered to some witnesses and exempts them from legal prosecution. Generally, immunity is offered in exchange for information which may be garnered through self-incriminating testimony. If a criminal is offered prosecutorial immunity they generally cannot be prosecuted if they provide testimony in a criminal case. This is most commonly used for witnesses who are minor criminals in a more elaborate conspiracy ring and their testimony may bring down the “ringleaders.” Criminals are not granted legal immunity for future crimes after their trial, only past crimes.
Diplomats are also sometimes offered legal immunity called diplomatic immunity and are not brought to trial or charged with crimes related to their job as a diplomat. Exceptions exist if a diplomat commits some types of crimes such as murder. Consider, there are many different types of legal immunity. Talk to a criminal lawyer if you have questions about your right to immunity in a criminal case.
This site contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. Persuing this glossary does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
This glossary post was last updated: 29th March, 2024.
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