The infamous result of the Dred Scott decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857 was that enslaved African Americans were deemed not to be U.S. citizens and therefore had no legal standing to sue for their freedom. The court ruled that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories, effectively bolstering the institution of slavery. This ruling heightened tensions between the North and South, exacerbating sectional disputes and contributing to the lead-up to the American Civil War. It is often cited as one of the worst decisions in U.S. legal history, reflecting the deep-rooted injustices of the time.