Definition
Full faith and credit is the requirement in Article IV that each state give legal recognition to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. A court judgment, a marriage certificate, or a property record valid in one state is generally honored elsewhere.
The clause knits the separate states into a single legal community, so that rights and obligations established in one place do not evaporate when a person crosses a state line.
Why it matters
How it works
The clause draws a distinction between final court judgments and other state laws. A final judgment from one state must generally be enforced by another, with little room to relitigate the merits. State statutes and public policies receive respect but can sometimes yield to a forum state strong contrary interest.
Congress holds authority to prescribe how acts and records are authenticated and what effect they carry. This combination of constitutional command and congressional detail keeps interstate legal recognition workable.