Prigg v. Pennsylvania (case)

Prigg v. Pennsylvania (1842) was a Supreme Court case that addressed the legality of the capture and return of runaway enslaved people. The Court ruled that federal law (the Fugitive Slave Act) preempted Pennsylvania’s state law, meaning states couldn't interfere with the enforcement of capturing and returning escaped slaves. The decision reinforced the federal government’s authority over slavery-related matters and limited states' ability to protect escaped enslaved individuals, highlighting the legal conflicts leading up to the Civil War.