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United States v. Lopez - Significance, Court Of Appeals Ruling, Supreme Court Ruling, Implications, Related Cases, Further Readings

commerce congress justices breyer

Petitioner

United States

Respondent

Alfonso Lopez, Jr.

Petitioner's Claim

That it was left to Congress to decide what seriously affects interstate commerce and Congress found the Gun-Free School Zone Act constitutional under the Commerce Clause.

Justices for the Court

Anthony M. Kennedy, Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist (writing for the Court), Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas

Justices Dissenting

Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David H. Souter, John Paul Stevens

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

26 April 1995

Decision

The Court stated that Congress had overstepped the bounds of the Commerce Clause; the act was deemed unconstitutional.

Dissenting Opinion

Justice Breyer sought to explain Congress' rational basis for a connection between gun-related violence in schools and interstate commerce. His opinion held that such violence "significantly undermines the quality of education that is critical to economic prosperity" and that teaching and learning are linked to commerce, which is threatened by the presence of guns in schools.

Additional Topics

United States v. Lopez - Significance

The decision dealt a large blow to Congress' attempts to cut down on school--related violence and improve the safety ratings of America's schools. However, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was able to fill in some of the gaps left open by the striking down of the Gun-Free School Zone Act. Alfonso Lopez, a 12th grade high school student, brought a concealed handgun and five…

United States v. Lopez - Further Readings

United States v. Lopez - Court Of Appeals Ruling

United States v. Lopez - Supreme Court Ruling

The only question before the U.S. Supreme Court was whether Congress had power to pass the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals, holding that the Gun-Free School Zones Act exceeds Congress' Commerce Clause authority. Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion and Justices Stevens, Breyer, Souter and Ginsburg dissent…

United States v. Lopez - Implications

The fact that the Supreme Court upheld the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision does not mean that gun laws will be more difficult to enforce; nor does it mean that guns should be allowed near schools. The main question in this case is not about guns or schools, but about how much authority the Congress has over issues usually legislated by the state. It is a question of the division of power …

United States v. Lopez - Related Cases

After the Supreme Court overturned the Gun Free School Zone Act of 1990 in Lopez, reactions were mixed. A comparison of articles that appeared in the New Republic and USA Today, for instance, might leave one wondering if the commentators were even talking about the same case. "The Lopez decision is good news for liberal constitutionalists," wrote the New Republic's Jeffrey Rosen, who criticized "…

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13 days ago

Melonie Parker

Thank you for the invalueable insight into this case in laymen's terms.