Quizzes
Quick Facts
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge
law case
Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge, U.S. Supreme Court decision (1837) holding that rights not specifically conferred by a charter cannot be inferred from the language of the document. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney rejected the claim of a bridge company (Charles River) that the state legislature’s subsequent grant of a charter to another bridge company (Warren) impaired the charter to the first company. His opinion in this case represented a departure from the Supreme Court’s construction of the U.S. Constitution’s contract clause under John Marshall.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeannette L. Nolen.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.