Today in Supreme Court History: May 1, 1871
On May 1, 1871, the Supreme Court decided Knox v. Lee, a landmark case addressing the constitutionality of paper money as legal tender. The Court ruled that Congress had the authority to issue paper currency under the Necessary and Proper Clause. This decision upheld the Legal Tender Act of 1862 and expanded federal economic power during wartime.
- ▪Knox v. Lee was decided on May 1, 1871.
- ▪The case upheld the use of paper money as legal tender.
- ▪The ruling affirmed Congress's power under the Necessary and Proper Clause.
- ▪It reversed an earlier decision in Hepburn v. Griswold.
- ▪The case was part of post-Civil War monetary policy disputes.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Volokh Conspiracy Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent About The Volokh Conspiracy Editorial Independence Who we are Books Volokh Daily Email Archives Search DMCA RSS Politics Today in Supreme Court History: May 1, 1871 Josh Blackman | 5.1.2026 7:00 AM 5/1/1871: Knox v. Lee decided. #gform_wrapper_17[data-form-index="0"].gform-theme,[data-parent-form="17_0"]{--gf-color-primary: #204ce5;--gf-color-primary-rgb: 32, 76, 229;--gf-color-primary-contrast: #fff;--gf-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-primary-darker: #001AB3;--gf-color-primary-lighter: #527EFF;--gf-color-secondary: #fff;--gf-color-secondary-rgb: 255, 255, 255;--gf-color-secondary-contrast: #112337;--gf-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 17, 35,…
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