Bedford County Circuit Court July 30, 1998, Case No. CL97009270-00 (Wilson v. Bedford County Board)

By Judge J. Michael Gamble

I am writing to rule on the Plea in Bar filed by the Defendant.

The Court sustains the Defendant’s Plea in Bar because Plaintiffs’ claims against Bedford County are barred by the doctrine of sovereign immunity. The doctrine of sovereign immunity serves many important functions for federal, state, and local government. The Supreme Court of Virginia, in Messina v.