Ableman v. Booth

Case Date: 04/19/2024

Ableman v. Booth, 62 U.S. 506 (1859), is a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that state courts cannot issue rulings that contradict the decisions of federal courts, overturning a decision by the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. For example, it is illegal for state officials to interfere with the work of U.S. Marshals acting under federal laws. The Ableman decision emphasized the dual form of American government and the independence of state and federal courts from one another.