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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Full Faith and Credit Act
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A quick definition of Full Faith and Credit Act:
The Full Faith and Credit Act is a law that says when a state court makes a decision, federal courts have to treat that decision the same way the state would. This means that if a case has already been decided in a state court, the federal court can't make a different decision on the same issue. It's like following the rules of the state court even if you're in a federal court.
A more thorough explanation:
The Full Faith and Credit Act is a federal law that requires federal courts to give the same legal effect to a state court's judgment as it would have under state law. This means that if a court in one state makes a ruling, that ruling must be recognized and enforced in all other states.
For example, if a couple gets divorced in California and one of them moves to New York, the divorce decree from California must be recognized and enforced in New York. This is because of the Full Faith and Credit Act.
Another example would be if a person is sued in one state and loses, but then moves to another state. The Full Faith and Credit Act requires that the judgment against them in the first state be recognized and enforced in the second state.