What was the central issue in the case of Fletcher v. Peck?

The central issue in the case of Fletcher v. Peck was the validity of a land grant awarded by the legislature. This landmark decision, which took place in 1810, stemmed from a contractual dispute involving a land grant made by the Georgia legislature. The grant had been made under dubious circumstances, and subsequent action by the legislature sought to invalidate that grant, which raised significant questions regarding contract law and the protection of property rights.

The Supreme Court ruled that the land grant constituted a contract, and under the Contracts Clause of the Constitution, states cannot retroactively alter the terms of contracts. This ruling was pivotal in solidifying the principle that private contracts are protected from interference by state legislation, highlighting the role of the judiciary in upholding these protections and establishing an early precedent for the sanctity of contracts in American law. The decision thus affirmed the importance of legislative integrity and limited the power of states to change contracts once they were established.

While the concepts of state law and judiciary involvement are related to the case, the principal focus was specifically on the legitimacy of the land grant itself and the implications of legislative action on existing contracts.