Buffalo Teachers Federation v. Tobe

CARDAMONE, Circuit Judge.

When a state is sued for allegedly impairing the contractual obligations of one of its political subdivisions even though it is not a signatory to the contract, the state will not be held liable for violating the Contracts Clause of the United States Constitution unless plaintiffs produce evidence that the state’s self-interest rather than the general welfare of the public motivated the state’s conduct. On this issue, plaintiffs have the burden of proof because the record of what and why the state has acted is laid out in committee hearings, public reports, and…