Who ruled that the Yazoo Rescinding Act was unconstitutional?

The Yazoo Rescinding Act was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice John Marshall in the landmark case of Fletcher v. Peck (1810). This case emerged from the controversy surrounding the Yazoo land sales in Georgia, where corrupt practices led to the sale of large tracts of land that the state legislature later attempted to rescind. The ruling established that the state of Georgia could not invalidate the contracts made under the Yazoo Act because it violated the Contract Clause of the United States Constitution, which protects the sanctity of contracts.

This decision was significant not only for its immediate implications regarding land sales but also because it reinforced the principle of judicial review, establishing the power of the federal courts to review state legislation. John Marshall's ruling conveyed the importance of protecting individual rights against state overreach, thereby reinforcing federal authority over states in certain legal matters.