U.S. Constitution · Article IV, Section 1

Full Faith and Credit

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Also known as: Full Faith and Credit Clause

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The text

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

National Archives transcription (public domain; original spelling and capitalization). archives.gov

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In the founders’ words

“The power of prescribing by general laws, the manner in which the public acts, records and judicial proceedings of each State shall be proved, and the effect they shall have in other States, is an evident and valuable improvement on the clause relating to this subject in the articles of Confederation. The meaning of the latter is extremely indeterminate, and can be of little importance under any interpretation which it will bear.” James Madison, The Federalist No. 42 (1788-01-22)

Public-domain primary sources, quoted word for word and checked against the linked text.

Leading Supreme Court cases

Williams v. North Carolina, 317 U.S. 287 (1942)

Cited in the VFA record

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Cite this page

Values for America Constitution Explorer, https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution (text: National Archives transcription, public domain), Article IV, Section 1, https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution/article-4/section-1

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