Martin v. Hunter's Lessee - Significance, The President Vs. The Supreme Court, Rightful Owner Or Alien Enemy?, "the Supreme Law Of The Land"

Martin v. Hunter's Lessee - Significance

Because the Commonwealth of Virginia had refused to recognize an earlier decision of the Supreme Court awarding the land to Martin, the case was a testing ground for whether state or federal power would prevail. Martin v. Hunter's Lessee was one of the major cases establishing the supremacy of federal over state courts. In the early days of the United States, many aspects of the country's new gove…

Martin v. Hunter's Lessee - Further Readings

Martin v. Hunter's Lessee - The President Vs. The Supreme Court

Martin v. Hunter's Lessee - Rightful Owner Or Alien Enemy?

The roots of the Martin case go all the way back to the American Revolution, when Virginia passed laws to confiscate the property of the Loyalists (people still loyal to the King of England). Thomas Lord Fairfax was such a Loyalist, and he chose not to recognize Virginia's action. He simply left the property--known as Northern Neck--to Denny Fairfax (previously Denny Martin), a British subject. To…

Martin v. Hunter's Lessee - "the Supreme Law Of The Land"

In a unanimous decision for the Court, Story rebuked the state courts of Virginia for not abiding by the ruling of the Supreme Court. Although state judges are called upon to decide cases, their authority rested not in the laws and constitution of their own states, Story argued, but rather in the "supreme law of the land"--the U.S. Constitution. Thus, Story explained, if state courts did not recog…