US v. Lopez
Definition
A 1995 Supreme Court case which held that Congress had exceeded its commerce clause power by prohibiting guns in school zones; it was an instance where judicial review was used to limit congressional power.
Analogy
Imagine if your school principal suddenly decided they could dictate what you do at home because it might affect your performance at school - like banning video games after 8 PM. You'd probably think they're overstepping their boundaries since what you do at home isn't really part of their jurisdiction - it's more up to your parents or guardians. This is similar to how in US v Lopez, it was decided that Congress had overstepped its boundaries by trying to regulate something (guns in school zones) that didn't really have a substantial effect on interstate commerce.
Related terms
Commerce Clause: The clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.
Judicial Review: The Supreme Court's authority to decide if a law violates the Constitution.
Federalism: A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.
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