| Venue: | SCOTUS |
| Facts: | Virginia legislature attempts to block the sale of some land and take possession of it, in violation of a US treaty with England protecting the property of pre-Revolutionary War landowners. |
| Posture: | Appeled from VA court of appeals |
| Issue: | Does the USSC have appellate review power over state courts? |
| Holding: | Yes, where constitutional issues are concerned. |
| Rule: | Federal courts can review and annul the proceedings of state executive and legislative authorities, in case they try to do something contary to the constitution. |
| Reasoning: | We can't have differing jurisdictions interpreting treaties and the constitution differently: there would be chaos. The constitution places lots of limitations such as this on the states, so this power can't be a surprise. |
| Dicta: | |