The first time the Supreme Court overturned a state law occurred in which case?

The first time the Supreme Court overturned a state law occurred in which case?

• A. Fletcher v. Peck
• B. Marbury v. Madison
• C. Barron v. Baltimore
• D. McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the Supreme Court can review and strike down state laws when they conflict with the Constitution. Fletcher v. Peck (1810) is the first case where the Court voided a state law as unconstitutional. It involved Georgia’s Yazoo land grants and a later act repealing them; the Court held that undoing the grant would impair a contract, violating the Contract Clause, so the repeal was unconstitutional. This ruling established that the federal judiciary has the power to review state legislation, not just federal laws, setting a precedent for national oversight of state actions. Marbury v. Madison, by contrast, established judicial review over federal laws, not state laws. Barron v. Baltimore held that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the states at that time, and McCulloch v. Maryland dealt with federal supremacy and powers, not the act of striking down a state law.

The main idea here is that the Supreme Court can review and strike down state laws when they conflict with the Constitution. Fletcher v. Peck (1810) is the first case where the Court voided a state law as unconstitutional. It involved Georgia’s Yazoo land grants and a later act repealing them; the Court held that undoing the grant would impair a contract, violating the Contract Clause, so the repeal was unconstitutional. This ruling established that the federal judiciary has the power to review state legislation, not just federal laws, setting a precedent for national oversight of state actions.

Marbury v. Madison, by contrast, established judicial review over federal laws, not state laws. Barron v. Baltimore held that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the states at that time, and McCulloch v. Maryland dealt with federal supremacy and powers, not the act of striking down a state law.