Dictionary of Law
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interstate commerce :: legal definition


Interstate commerce - n. commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the federal government according to powers spelled out in Article I of the Constitution. The federal government can also regulate commerce within a state when it may impact interstate movement of goods and services and may strike down state actions which are barriers to such movement under Chief Justice John Marshall's decision in Gibbons v. Ogden (1824). Theoretically commerce is regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission (I.C.C.) under authority granted by the Interstate Commerce Act, first enacted by Congress in 1887. This authority has been diffused among various federal agencies, and the I.C.C. may soon be history.


Related Law Terms

administrative law :: n. the procedures created by administrative agenci ... judge Administrative Procedure Act
advisory opinion :: n. an opinion stated by a judge or a court upon th ... o: actual controversy friendly suit
antitrust laws :: n. acts adopted by Congress to outlaw or restrict ... so: price fixing restraint of trade
appeal :: 1) v. to ask a higher court to reverse the decisio ... ng, as in "he has filed an appeal."
attorney :: n. 1) an agent or someone authorized to act for an ... ialize. See also: court reciprocity
Attorney General :: n. in each state and the federal government the hi ... izenry. See also: Solicitor General
bank :: n. 1) an officially chartered institution empowere ... erred to as "in bank" or "en banc."
claim against a governmental agency :: n. any time one believes he/she has a right to pay ... orter than other types of lawsuits.
comity :: n. when one court defers to the jurisdiction of an ... of cases to which comity may apply.
conflict of law :: n. a situation in which both state and federal law ... y arose. See also: forum preemption
constitution :: n. the fundamental, underlying document which esta ... ts common law constitutional rights
consumer protection laws :: n. almost all states and the federal government ha ... rranty product liability securities
copyright :: 1) n. the exclusive right of the author or creator ... plagiarism public domain trademark
corporation :: n. an organization formed with state governmental ... ation public corporation securities
court :: n. 1) the judge, as in "The court rules in favor o ... cost and wait of full court trials.
discrimination :: n. unequal treatment of persons, for a reason whic ... qual rights. See also: civil rights
diversity of citizenship :: n. when opposing parties in a lawsuit are citizens ... unt in controversy exceeds $10,000.
eminent domain :: n. the power of a governmental entity (federal, st ... ngs. See also: condemn condemnation
equal opportunity :: 1) n. a right supposedly guaranteed by both federa ... be so. See also: affirmative action
home rule :: n. the power of a local city or county to set up i ... state funds for local improvements.
judge :: 1) n. an official with the authority and responsib ... ice justice of the peace magistrate
jurisdiction :: n. the authority given by law to a court to try ca ... Superior Court Supreme Court venue
law :: n. 1) any system of regulations to govern the cond ... um maritime law natural law statute
law book :: n. any of numerous volumes dealing with law, inclu ... : common law law Shepardize statute
Mann Act :: n. a federal statute making it a crime to transpor ... is five years in a federal prison.
notary public :: n. a person authorized by the state in which the p ... he state which appoints the notary.
preemption :: n. the rule of law that if the federal government ... cs control may parallel each other.
privileges and immunities :: n. the fundamental rights that people enjoy in fre ... t impinge on constitutional rights.
procedure :: n. the methods and mechanics of the legal process. ... cases are tried and judgments made.
property :: n. anything that is owned by a person or entity. P ... rty real property separate property
public defender :: n. an elected or appointed public official (usuall ... to convicted indigents for appeals.
regulations :: n. rules and administrative codes issued by govern ... es usually have similar procedures.
reports :: n. the published decisions of appeals courts in al ... ilable in almost all law libraries.
sentence :: 1) n. the punishment given to a person convicted o ... ence restitution suspended sentence
standing :: n. the right to file a lawsuit or file a petition ... so: actual controversy jurisdiction
statute of limitations :: n. a law which sets the maximum period which one c ... ies. See also: demurrer laches toll
Supreme Court :: n. 1) the highest court in the United States, whic ... rt in other states. See also: court
tax :: n. a governmental assessment (charge) upon propert ... unified estate and gift tax use tax
tort claims act :: n. a federal or state act which, under certain con ... . See also: Federal Tort Claims Act

Popular Law Searches

legal definition ministerial act :: n. an act, particularly of a governmental employee ... exercising any individual judgment.
chancery legal definition :: n. a court that can order acts performed. Today ch ... ts in most states. See also: equity
testamentary disposition legal definition :: n. how the terms of a will divide the testator's ( ... named beneficiaries. See also: will
contract of sufferance :: n. a "hold-over" tenancy after a lease has expired ... y tenancy at will unlawful detainer
forthwith legal definition :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
forthwith definition legal :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
what is to wit in a legal contract :: prep. that is to say. Example: "the passengers in ... tty Bumgartner and Sherry Younger."
mirror wills legal definition :: n. the wills of a husband and wife which are ident ... d each names the other as executor.
clean hands doctrine latin :: n. a rule of law that a person coming to court wit ... ices. See also: affirmative defense
sine qua non only relates to contract law :: (see-nay kwah nahn) prep. Latin for "without which ... qua non of the injury to Playmate.

Other Law Terms - I

i.e. :: prep. abbreviation for id est, which is Latin for ... "e.g.," which means "for example."
illegal :: 1) adj. in violation of statute, regulation or ord ... . See also: alien illegal immigrant
illegal immigrant :: n. an alien (non-citizen) who has entered the Unit ... ion date of a visa. See also: alien
illusory promise :: n. an agreement to do something that is so indefin ... he may have thought was a contract.
immaterial :: adj. a commonly heard objection to introducing evi ... ons. See also: irrelevant objection
immediately :: adv. 1) at once. 2) in orders of the court or in c ... oon as can be done" without excuse.
immunity :: n. exemption from penalties, payments or legal req ... ws. See also: governmental immunity
impanel :: v. to select and install a jury. See also: impanel ... l a jury. See also: impaneling jury
impaneling :: n. the act of selecting a jury from the list of po ... e juror jury panel venire voir dire
impeach :: v. 1) to discredit the testimony of a witness by p ... ve been found guilty by the Senate.
impeachment :: n. 1) discrediting a witness by showing that he/sh ... the trial itself. See also: impeach
impleader :: n. a procedural device before trial in which a par ... than having two suits in a series.
implied :: adj., adv. referring to circumstances, conduct or ... nt implied consent implied warranty
implied consent :: n. consent when surrounding circumstances exist wh ... aybe" or "later." See also: implied
implied contract :: n. an agreement which is found to exist based on t ... : contract express contract implied
implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing :: n. a general assumption of the law of contracts, t ... -long employment. See also: implied
implied warranty :: n. an assumption at law that products are "merchan ... er. See also: caveat emptor implied
impossibility :: n. when an act cannot be performed due to nature, ... cel) a contract. See also: contract
impotence :: n. the male's inability to copulate. Impotence can ... eans inability to produce children.
impound :: v. 1) to collect funds, in addition to installment ... cases. See also: forfeit forfeiture