The Constitution
Contracts Clause
Article I, Section 10's bar on states passing laws impairing the obligation of contracts. Once a major limit on state power, now applied loosely.
In full
Written against state debtor-relief laws after the Revolution, the clause was a central constitutional limit through the nineteenth century. Modern doctrine allows substantial impairment where a state has a significant and legitimate public purpose and the adjustment is reasonable, so the clause rarely defeats economic regulation today.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.