In Worcester v. Georgia, the Supreme Court held that the state of Georgia did not have the power to regulate the Cherokee Nation or to enforce its laws within Cherokee territory. Chief Justice John Marshall delivered the opinion of the Court, declaring that the Cherokee Nation was a sovereign entity within its own boundaries and that Georgia's efforts to assert jurisdiction violated the Constitution, specifically the Treaties Clause. Therefore, the Court held that Georgia's actions were invalid, and the Cherokee Nation possessed the right to self-government and self-regulation.
