"…provides an important resource for anyone interested in the history of state sovereign immunity doctrine … Those who teach constitutional federalism will find this book invaluable." — Law and Politics Book Review"Shortell's cogent book examines the history of state sovereign immunity in the US. It offers an exhaustive examination of all major Supreme Court cases decided based on this legal concept, while tracing the rise and fall of the doctrine from the writing of the Constitution through its revival under Supreme Court Chief Justices Rehnquist and Roberts." — CHOICE"The author's treatment of the history of the state use of sovereign immunity is quite thorough. He does an excellent job of discussing the periods right after the adoption of the Constitution, Reconstruction, and post-1996. Through the historical discussion, he advances his empirical argument; his thesis is persuasive and well supported." — Matthew H. Bosworth, author of Courts as Catalysts: State Supreme Courts and Public School Finance Equity"This is a meticulously researched book that makes use of an impressive range of primary sources in the course of assessing the impact of judicial rulings over a span of two centuries." — John J. Dinan, author of The American State Constitutional Tradition