Texas Department of Transportation v. Sefzik

At issue in this case is whether sovereign immunity bars Roger Sefzik’s lawsuit seeking declaratory relief under the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act (UDJA) against the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). In City of El Paso v. Heinrich, we dismissed claims *620seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against governmental entities as barred by sovereign immunity. 284 S.W.3d 366, 380 (Tex.2009). The court of appeals relied on our pr e-Heinrich ultra vires precedent to conclude that declaratory judgment actions do not implicate sovereign immunity. We reverse and hold that state agencies,…