U. S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton (1994)
- Docket
- 93-1456
- Decided
- 1994-01-01
Summary
Question: Can states alter those qualifications for the U.S. Congress that are specifically enumerated in the Constitution? Conclusion: No. The Constitution prohibits States from adopting Congressional qualifications in addition to those enumerated in the Constitution. A state congressional term limits amendment is unconstitutional if it has the likely effect of handicapping a class of candidates and "has the sole purpose of creating additional qualifications indirectly." Furthermore, "...allowing individual States to craft their own congressional qualifications would erode the structure designed by the Framers to form a 'more perfect Union.'"