Contract Clause

In the early case of Holmes v. Jennison,[2] Chief Justice Taney, referencing the Contract Clause, wrote an opinion which found that states had no power under it to honor an extradition request from a foreign government.Speaking for a unanimous Court, Chief Justice Hughes declared: “When its action does not conflict with federal legislation, the sovereign authority of the State over the conduct of its citizens upon the high seas is analogous to the sovereign authority of the United States over its citizens in like circumstances.”[5] In constitutional context, "bills of credit" mean paper medium of exchange intended to circulate between individuals, and between the Government and individuals, for the ordinary social purposes.[16] A law that prohibited any person convicted of a felony and not subsequently pardoned from holding office in a waterfront union was not a bill of attainder because the “distinguishing feature of a bill of attainder is the substitution of a legislative for a judicial determination of guilt” and the prohibition “embodies no further implications of appellant’s guilt than are contained in his 1920 judicial conviction.”[17] The Framers of the Constitution added this clause in response to the fear that states would continue a practice that had been widespread under the Articles of Confederation—that of granting "private relief."In Home Building & Loan Association v. Blaisdell,[19] the Supreme Court upheld a Minnesota law that temporarily restricted the ability of mortgage holders to foreclose.[22][21] The Supreme Court laid out a three-part test for whether a law conforms with the Contract Clause in Energy Reserves Group v. Kansas Power & Light.[21] In United States Trust Co. v. New Jersey,[25] the Supreme Court held that a higher level of scrutiny was needed for situations where laws modified the government's own contractual obligations.
Contractual termConstitutional lawof the United StatesArticlesAmendmentsHistoryJudicial reviewSeparation of powersFederalismRepublicanismEqual footingTiers of scrutinyLegislative branchExecutive branchJudicial branchState governmentLocal governmentFreedom of religionFreedom of speechFreedom of the pressFreedom of assemblyRight to petitionRight to keep and bear armsRight to trial by juryCriminal procedural rightsRight to privacyFreedom from slaveryDue processEqual protectionCitizenshipVoting rightsRight to candidacyComprehensible rulesLiving ConstitutionOriginalismSubstantive due processPolitical process theoryJudicial restraintPurposivismTextualismStrict constructionismCommon good constitutionalismUnited States Constitutionstatesstate governmentsenumerated powersU.S. federal governmentcontractualright to form contractscontracts for sexchild labortenderLetters of Marque and ReprisalBills of CreditBill of Attainderex post facto LawNobilitySupreme CourtChief Justice TaneySkiriotes v. FloridaChief Justice Hugheslegal tenderbills of attainderArticles of Confederationfederal governmentdebtorscreditorsAlexander HamiltonNew DealLochner eraCommerce ClauseHome Building & Loan Association v. BlaisdellMinnesotaforeclosepolice powerrational basisWorld Trade CenterCharles River Bridge v. Warren BridgeContract lawDartmouth College v. WoodwardOgden v. SaundersFederalist No. 10Reserved powers doctrine of the United StatesBriscoe v. Bank of KentuckyGarner v. Board of Public WorksDe Veau v. BraistedUnited States v. BrownJames W. Ely, Jr.Wexler, JayChemerinsky, ErwinU.S. Supreme CourtArticle IUtah v. EvansDepartment of Commerce v. New YorkTrump v. New YorkPowell v. McCormackU.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. ThorntonCook v. GralikeEx parte SieboldSmiley v. HolmArizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting CommissionMoore v. HarperSpeech or Debate ClauseKilbourn v. ThompsonUnited States v. JohnsonGravel v. United StatesOrigination ClauseFlint v. Stone Tracy Co.United States v. Munoz-FloresPresentment ClausePocket Veto CaseImmigration and Naturalization Service v. ChadhaClinton v. City of New YorkTaxing and Spending ClauseHylton v. United StatesCollector v. DaySpringer v. United StatesPollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co.Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad Co.Bailey v. Drexel Furniture Co.United States v. ButlerHelvering v. DavisSouth Dakota v. DoleNational Federation of Independent Business v. SebeliusDormant Commerce ClauseBrown v. MarylandWillson v. Black-Bird Creek Marsh Co.Cooley v. Board of WardensWabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway Co. v. IllinoisSwift & Co. v. United StatesGeorge W. Bush & Sons Co. v. MalloyBaldwin v. G.A.F. Seelig, Inc.Edwards v. CaliforniaSouthern Pacific Co. v. ArizonaDean Milk Co. v. City of MadisonMiller Bros. Co. v. MarylandBibb v. Navajo Freight Lines, Inc.National Bellas Hess v. IllinoisPike v. Bruce Church, Inc.Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp.Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. BradyHunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising CommissionCity of Philadelphia v. New JerseyExxon Corp. v. Governor of MarylandReeves, Inc. v. StakeKassel v. Consolidated Freightways Corp.Sporhase v. Nebraska ex rel. DouglasSouth-Central Timber Development, Inc. v. WunnickeMaine v. TaylorQuill Corp. v. North DakotaChemical Waste Management, Inc. v. HuntOregon Waste Systems, Inc. v. Department of Environmental Quality of OregonC&A Carbone, Inc. v. Town of ClarkstownWest Lynn Creamery, Inc. v. HealyGranholm v. HealdUnited Haulers Ass'n v. Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management AuthorityDepartment of Revenue of Kentucky v. DavisComptroller of the Treasury of Maryland v. WynneSouth Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Assn. v. ThomasNational Pork Producers Council v. RossGibbons v. OgdenPassenger CasesPaul v. VirginiaCooper Manufacturing Co. v. FergusonKidd v. PearsonIn re DebsUnited States v. E. C. Knight Co.Champion v. AmesSouthern Railway Co. v. United StatesHoke v. United StatesHouston East & West Texas Railway Co. v. United StatesHammer v. DagenhartBoard of Trade of City of Chicago v. OlsenA.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United StatesGold Clause CasesPanama Refining Co. v. RyanCarter v. Carter Coal Co.NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp.United States v. Carolene Products Co.McGoldrick v. Berwind-White Coal Mining Co.United States v. Darby Lumber Co.United States v. Wrightwood Dairy Co.Wickard v. FilburnUnited States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Ass'nNorth American Co. v. SECH.P. Hood & Sons v. Du MondHenderson v. United StatesCanton Railroad Co. v. RoganBoynton v. VirginiaHeart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United StatesKatzenbach v. McClungNational League of Cities v. UseryCommonwealth Edison Co. v. MontanaEEOC v. WyomingGarcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit AuthorityNew York v. United StatesUnited States v. LopezSeminole Tribe of Florida v. FloridaReno v. CondonUnited States v. LockeUnited States v. MorrisonGonzales v. RaichTaylor v. United StatesLegal Tender CasesKnox v. LeeJuilliard v. GreenmanCopyright ClauseCopyright Act of 1790Wheaton v. PetersPaige v. BanksGlobe Newspaper Co. v. WalkerTyler v. TuelEvans v. EatonEvans v. HettichPatent infringementEvans v. JordanHollister v. Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Co.Rowell v. LindsaySchillinger v. United StatesBauer & Cie. v. O'DonnellGeneral Talking Pictures Corp. v. Western Electric Co.PatentabilityPennock v. DialogueHotchkiss v. GreenwoodO'Reilly v. MorseCochrane v. DeenerCity of Elizabeth v. American Nicholson Pavement Co.Egbert v. LippmannConsolidated Safety-Valve Co. v. Crosby Steam Gauge & Valve Co.Voss v. FisherCopyright Act of 1831Backus v. GouldStephens v. CadyStevens v. GladdingLittle v. HallBaker v. SeldenCallaghan v. MyersHiggins v. KeuffelHolmes v. HurstBrady v. DalyBolles v. Outing Co.Mifflin v. R. H. White CompanyMifflin v. DuttonCopyright Act of 1870Perris v. HexamerTrade-Mark CasesMerrell v. TiceSchreiber v. SharplessBurrow-Giles Lithographic Co. v. SaronyThornton v. SchreiberBanks v. ManchesterThompson v. HubbardBelford v. ScribnerBleistein v. Donaldson Lithographing Co.McLoughlin v. Raphael Tuck & Sons Co.American Tobacco Co. v. WerckmeisterWerckmeister v. American Tobacco Co.United Dictionary Co. v. G. & C. Merriam Co.White-Smith Music Publishing Co. v. Apollo Co.Dun v. Lumbermen's Credit Ass'nBobbs-Merrill Co. v. StrausScribner v. StrausBong v. Campbell Art Co.Henry v. A.B. Dick Co.Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890Straus v. American Publishers AssociationInterstate Circuit, Inc. v. United StatesFashion Originators' Guild of America v. FTCUnited States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.Broadcast Music, Inc. v. CBS Inc.International Copyright Act of 1891Press Pub. Co. v. MonroeCaliga v. Inter Ocean Newspaper Co.Hills and Co. v. HooverKalem Co. v. Harper Bros.Copyright Act of 1909DeJonge and Co. v. Breuker & Kessler Co.Herbert v. Shanley Co.Manners v. MoroscoFox Film Corp. v. KnowlesBuck v. Jewell-LaSalle Realty Co.Douglas v. CunninghamWashingtonian Pub. Co. v. PearsonSheldon v. Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corp.Fred Fisher Music Co. v. M. Witmark & SonsF. W. Woolworth Co. v. Contemporary Arts, Inc.Mazer v. SteinDe Sylva v. BallentineSears, Roebuck & Co. v. Stiffel Co.Williams & Wilkins Co. v. United StatesPatent misuseMotion Picture Patents Co. v. Universal Film Manufacturing Co.Morton Salt Co. v. G.S. Suppiger Co.Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914Dowling v. United StatesLanham ActInwood Laboratories, Inc. v. Ives Laboratories, Inc.San Francisco Arts & Athletics, Inc. v. United States Olympic CommitteeTwo Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc.Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co.College Savings Bank v. Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense BoardCooper Industries, Inc. v. Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.TrafFix Devices, Inc. v. Marketing Displays, Inc.Dastar Corp. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.Moseley v. V Secret Catalogue, Inc.POM Wonderful LLC v. Coca-Cola Co.Matal v. TamIancu v. BrunettiRomag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc.Copyright Act of 1976Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc.Mills Music, Inc. v. SnyderHarper & Row v. Nation EnterprisesCommunity for Creative Non-Violence v. ReidStewart v. AbendFeist Publications, Inc., v. Rural Telephone Service Co.Fogerty v. Fantasy, Inc.Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.Lotus Dev. Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc.Quality King Distributors Inc., v. L'anza Research International Inc.Feltner v. Columbia Pictures Television, Inc.New York Times Co. v. TasiniEldred v. AshcroftMGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd.Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. MuchnickGolan v. HolderKirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.American Broadcasting Cos., Inc. v. Aereo, Inc.Star Athletica, LLC v. Varsity Brands, Inc.Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.comRimini Street Inc. v. Oracle USA Inc.Allen v. CooperGeorgia v. Public.Resource.Org, Inc.copyright casesAmerican Lithographic Co. v. WerkmeisterFerris v. FrohmanOrder of St. Benedict of New Jersey v. SteinhauserInternational News Service v. Associated PressL. A. Westermann Co. v. Dispatch Printing Co.Lumiere v. Mae Edna Wilder, Inc.Educational Films Corp. v. WardFox Film Corp. v. DoyalGeorge v. Victor Talking Machine Co.KVOS v. Associated PressGibbs v. BuckBuck v. GallagherCommissioner v. WodehouseMiller Music Corp. v. Charles N. Daniels, Inc.Pub. Affairs Associates, Inc. v. RickoverFortnightly Corp. v. United Artists Television, Inc.Goldstein v. CaliforniaTeleprompter Corp. v. Columbia BroadcastingTwentieth Century Music Corp. v. Aikenpatent casesContinental Paper Bag Co. v. Eastern Paper Bag Co.Minerals Separation, Ltd. v. HydeUnited States v. General Electric Co.United States v. Univis Lens Co.Altvater v. FreemanSinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp.Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kalo Inoculant Co.Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. v. Supermarket Equipment Corp.Graver Tank & Manufacturing Co. v. Linde Air Products Co.Aro Manufacturing Co. v. Convertible Top Replacement Co.Compco Corp. v. Day-Brite Lighting, Inc.Wilbur-Ellis Co. v. KutherBrulotte v. Thys Co.Walker Process Equipment, Inc. v. Food Machinery & Chemical Corp.Graham v. John Deere Co.United States v. AdamsBrenner v. MansonLear, Inc. v. AdkinsAnderson's-Black Rock, Inc. v. Pavement Salvage Co.Zenith Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine Research, Inc.Gottschalk v. BensonUnited States v. Glaxo Group Ltd.Dann v. JohnstonSakraida v. Ag Pro Inc.Parker v. FlookDiamond v. ChakrabartyDiamond v. DiehrBonito Boats, Inc. v. Thunder Craft Boats, Inc.Eli Lilly & Co. v. Medtronic, Inc.Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc.Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Hilton Davis Chemical Co.Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc.Dickinson v. ZurkoFlorida Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense Board v. College Savings BankJ. E. M. Ag Supply, Inc. v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co.Merck KGaA v. Integra Lifesciences I, Ltd.eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C.Illinois Tool Works Inc. v. Independent Ink, Inc.LabCorp v. Metabolite, Inc.MedImmune, Inc. v. Genentech, Inc.KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc.Microsoft Corp. v. AT&T Corp.Quanta Computer, Inc. v. LG Electronics, Inc.Bilski v. KapposGlobal-Tech Appliances, Inc. v. SEB S.A.Stanford University v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.Microsoft Corp. v. i4i Ltd. PartnershipMayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc.Kappos v. HyattBowman v. Monsanto Co.Gunn v. MintonAssociation for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc.FTC v. Actavis, Inc.Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank InternationalTeva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. v. Sandoz, Inc.Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment, LLCApple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co.TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands LLCPeter v. NantKwest, Inc.trademark casesG. & C. Merriam Co. v. Syndicate Pub. Co.Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co.Patent and Trademark Office v. Booking.com B. V.Necessary and Proper ClauseMcCulloch v. MarylandLambert v. YellowleyUnited States v. ComstockUnited States v. KebodeauxEx parte BollmanEx parte MerrymanEx parte EndoImmigration and Naturalization Service v. St. CyrBoumediene v. BushDepartment of Homeland Security v. ThuraissigiamCalder v. BullSturges v. CrowninshieldEx parte GarlandHawker v. New YorkSamuels v. McCurdyBarr v. City of ColumbiaTeague v. LaneKansas v. HendricksSmith v. DoeHepburn v. GriswoldFletcher v. PeckSmyth v. AmesBlock v. HirshHome Building & Loan Ass'n v. BlaisdellAllied Structural Steel Co. v. SpannausKeystone Bituminous Coal Ass'n v. DeBenedictisSveen v. MelinImport-Export ClauseFlorida v. GeorgiaVirginia v. West VirginiaVirginia v. TennesseeWharton v. WiseNew Jersey v. New YorkVirginia v. MarylandPolar Tankers, Inc. v. City of ValdezTexas v. New Mexico and ColoradoConstitution of the United StatesPreambleBill of RightsReconstructionUnratifiedCongressional ApportionmentTitles of NobilityCorwin AmendmentEqual RightsDistrict of Columbia Voting RightsProposedBalanced budgetBlaine amendmentBricker amendmentCampaign finance reformChristian amendmentCrittenden CompromiseElectoral College abolitionEqual Opportunity to GovernFederal MarriageFlag DesecrationHuman Life"Liberty" amendmentLudlow amendmentParental Rights amendmentSchool PrayerSingle subjectVictims' RightsConvention to propose amendmentsState ratifying conventionsMount Vernon ConferenceAnnapolis ConventionPhiladelphia ConventionVirginia PlanNew Jersey PlanConnecticut CompromiseThree-fifths CompromiseCommittee of DetailList of FramersSigningPrintingIndependence HallSyng inkstandThe Federalist PapersAnti-Federalist PapersMassachusetts CompromiseVirginia Ratifying ConventionNew York Circular LetterHillsborough ConventionFayetteville ConventionRhode Island ratificationDrafting and ratification timelineClausesAdmission to the UnionAppointmentsAppropriationsAssemble and Petition ClauseAssistance of CounselCase or ControversyCommerceCompactCompulsory ProcessConfrontationCongressional enforcementContingent ElectionsCopyright and PatentDouble JeopardyElectionsEngagementsEstablishmentExcessive BailExtraditionFree ExerciseFugitive SlaveFull Faith and CreditGuaranteeHouse ApportionmentImpeachmentImport-ExportIneligibilityNatural-born citizenNecessary and ProperNo Religious TestOath or AffirmationOriginal JurisdictionOriginationPardonPostalPresentmentPresidential ElectorsPresidential successionPrivileges and ImmunitiesPrivileges or ImmunitiesRecess appointmentSpeech or DebateSpeedy TrialSupremacyTaxing and SpendingForeign EmolumentsTreatyVestingLegislativeExecutiveJudicialVicinageWar PowersBalance of powersConcurrent powersConstitutional lawCriminal procedureCriminal sentencingExecutive privilegeImplied powersIncorporation of the Bill of RightsPlenary powerPreemptionReserved powersSaxbe fixSeparation of church and stateSymmetric federalismTaxation powerUnitary executive theorySignatoriesGeorge WashingtonJohn LangdonNicholas GilmanNathaniel GorhamRufus KingWilliam Samuel JohnsonRoger ShermanWilliam LivingstonDavid BrearleyWilliam PatersonJonathan DaytonBenjamin FranklinThomas MifflinRobert MorrisGeorge ClymerThomas FitzsimonsJared IngersollJames WilsonGouverneur MorrisGeorge ReadGunning Bedford Jr.John DickinsonRichard BassettJacob BroomJames McHenryDaniel of St. Thomas JeniferDaniel CarrollJohn BlairJames MadisonWilliam BlountRichard Dobbs SpaightHugh WilliamsonJohn RutledgeCharles Cotesworth PinckneyCharles PinckneyPierce ButlerWilliam FewAbraham BaldwinWilliam JacksonNotes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787Jacob ShallusWilliam LambertBibliography of the United States ConstitutionFounding Fathers of the United StatesNational ArchivesRotunda for the Charters of FreedomIndependence MallConstitution Day and Citizenship DayConstitution GardensConstitution WeekNational Constitution CenterScene at the Signing of the ConstitutionA More Perfect UnionWorldwide influence