Ennis Water Works v. City of Ennis

Citations

• 233 U.S. 652
• 34 S. Ct. 767
• 58 L. Ed. 1139
• 1914 U.S. LEXIS 1172

Syllabus

<p>Although when the assertion is made that contract rights are impaired it is the duty of this court to determine for itself whether or not there was a valid contract, in considering a contract arising from a state law or a municipal ordinance this court will treat it as though there was embodied in its text the settled rule of law which existed in the State when the action relied upon was taken.</p> <p>Where the state court based its decision on the ground that there was no original legislative contract to be impaired under a rule of state law which had been so conclusively established as to make the assertion that contract rights were impaired by subsequent legislation frivolóus and unsubstantial, there is no basis afforded for jurisdiction of this court to review the judgment under § 237,' Judicial Code.</p>