The definition of ‘immunity’ has been used for centuries, but with the ever-changing world around us, so goes the definition. Immunity is the concept of protection from an unwelcome outcome, typically involving legal or financial consequences.
Within the legal industry, immunity has taken on a specific definition. Within this context, immunity is the right of a person or group to be immune from civil or criminal proceedings.
An example of immunity could be seen in the Justice Department’s prosecution of high-ranking officials. An official may be granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for providing testimony against another person who is suspected of wrongdoing.
In the business world, immunity is also used to refer to protection from any potential liabilities for certain actions. An example of this would be a manager’s protection against discrimination claims. The manager may be granted immunity from such claims if they can prove that they took steps to prevent discrimination in the workplace.
Immunity is also used to refer to protection from certain kinds of obligations. An example of this could be the protection of a lawyer’s work product from being subject to discovery. In this case, the lawyer would be granted immunity from having to produce documents or other items that are protected by attorney-client privilege.
The concept of immunity is an important one, and it is increasingly relevant in today’s legal and business environment. Understanding how immunity works is important in order to know the types of rights and remedies afforded to different parties in different situations.