<P> Article Four of the United States Constitution outlines the relationship between the various states, as well as the relationship between each state and the United States federal government . </P> <P> Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State . And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof . </P> <P> The first section requires states to extend "full faith and credit" to the public acts, records and court proceedings of other states . Congress may regulate the manner in which proof of such acts, records or proceedings may be admitted . </P> <P> In Mills v. Duryee, 1t1 U.S. (7 Cranch) 481 (1813), the United States Supreme Court ruled that the merits of a case, as settled by courts of one state, must be recognized by the courts of other states; state courts may not reopen cases which have been conclusively decided by the courts of another state . Later, Chief Justice John Marshall suggested that the judgment of one state court must be recognized by other states' courts as final . However, in McElmoyle v. Cohen, 38 U.S. (13 Pet .) 312 (1839), the court heard a case where one party obtained a judgment in South Carolina and sought to enforce it in Georgia, which had a statute of limitations that barred actions on judgments after a certain amount of time had passed since the judgment was entered . The court upheld Georgia's refusal to enforce the South Carolina judgment . The court found that out - of - state judgments are subject to the procedural law of the states where they are enforced, notwithstanding any priority accorded in the states in which they are issued . </P>

Article 4 section 1 calls for states to extend