How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Tenth Amendment of the US Constitution?

The Supreme Court has interpreted the Tenth Amendment of the US Constitution, as an expression of the principle that the federal government is only delegated certain limited powers. This is known as the “anti-commandeering doctrine”. This doctrine was first established in the 1992 Supreme Court decision of New York vs. United States. In this ruling, the court held that Congress may not compel states to enforce a federal regulatory program, as to do so would be in violation of the Tenth Amendment and a usurpation of the state’s authority. Essentially, the Supreme Court has interpreted the Tenth Amendment as recognizing the sovereignty of the states and the ability of states to act independently from federal jurisdiction. In recent years, the Supreme Court has further expanded the anti-commandeering doctrine in cases such as Printz vs. United States and Mack vs. United States. In these rulings, the Supreme Court struck down federal laws that sought to require state and local law enforcement to conduct background checks on gun purchasers, as well as laws that sought to require state and local officials to keep confidential records of gun owners. In both cases, the Court held that such laws were a violation of the Tenth Amendment, as they exceeded the power of the federal government. Thus, the Supreme Court has interpreted the Tenth Amendment of the US Constitution as a restraint upon the power of the federal government, and has held that Congress may not compel states to enforce federal regulations or laws. This interpretation of the Tenth Amendment has important implications for West Virginia, as it preserves the state’s autonomy with respect to federal jurisdiction.

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