PARENS PATRIAE

parens patriae (par-enz pay-tree-ee orpa-tree-I). [Latin “parent of his or her country”] 1. The state regarded as a sovereign; the state in its capacity as provider of protection to those unable to care for themselves <the attorney general acted as parens patriae in the administrative hearing>; in Roman law, the emperor. [Cases: States  1. C.J.S. States §§ 2, 16.] 2. A doctrine by which a government has standing to prosecute a lawsuit on behalf of a citizen, esp. on behalf of someone who is under a legal disability to prosecute the suit <parens patriae allowed the state to institute proceedings>. • The state ordinarily has no standing to sue on behalf of its citizens, unless a separate, sovereign interest will be served by the suit. — Also termed doctrine of parens patriae.

[Cases: Infants  2; States  190. C.J.S. Infants §§ 12, 108, 198; States §§ 297, 314.]

[Blacks Law 8th]