United States v Lopez
Alfonso Lopez was a high school senior in San Antonio. He brought a gun to school to exchange it for money, however he was apprehended and charged for the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. After both a conviction and reversed ruling, the United States filed a writ of certiorari (review of lower court ruling). The government argued that a weapon in a school environment would hurt the overall economy through insurance costs and distrust. Lopez argued that Congress was exceeding their power, and that the act was unconstitutional to pass since his activity was not commercial in any way.
Breakdown Verdict.
A 5-4 decision in favor of Lopez limited Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause (regulation of commerce). Chief Justice Rehnquist saw the government’s argument of commercial exchange as an exaggeration, and that ruling against Congress would keep them enumerated. He felt that ruling against Lopez would mean “to pile inference upon inference.”
Result Going Forward.
This case was the first ruling in nearly 60 years where Congress was restricted in its jurisdiction under the Commerce Clause. Their power under the clause was to regulate pathways, parties, and substantial effects of trade. However, with this new ruling, the state would hold more power in localized issues. Congress rewrote the Gun-Free School Zones Act afterward, which symbolically took power away from Congress to interpret the law indirectly.
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