United States v. Cumming

Citations

• 130 U.S. 452
• 9 S. Ct. 583
• 32 L. Ed. 1029
• 1889 U.S. LEXIS 1767

Syllabus

<p>Congress enacted, that A B .and C t) “ be permitted to sue in the Court of Claims, which court shall pass upon the law and facts as to the liability of the United States for the acts of its officer ”sr, . . . “ collector of internal revenue ” etc., “and this suit may be maintained, any statute of limitation to the contrary notwithstanding.” Held, that this was a waiver of-the defence based upon the statute of limitations,'but not a waiver of the defence based on the general principle of law that the United States are not liable for unauthorized wrongs inflicted on the citizen by their officers while engaged in the discharge of official duties.</p>