Which amendment guarantees equal protection and due process?

Which amendment guarantees equal protection and due process?

• A. The 14th Amendment
• B. The 1st Amendment
• C. The 18th Amendment
• D. The 20th Amendment

Answer: (A)

Equal protection and due process are protected together by the Fourteenth Amendment. Its Equal Protection Clause requires state laws to treat people in similar situations the same way, preventing discriminatory government action. Its Due Process Clause guarantees fair procedures and protects fundamental rights before the state can deprive a person of life, liberty, or property. While due process exists at the federal level in the Fifth Amendment, the combination of equal protection and due process as applied to state actions comes from the Fourteenth Amendment. The other amendments address different rights—freedom of expression and religion, prohibition, and terms of office—not these guarantees.

Equal protection and due process are protected together by the Fourteenth Amendment. Its Equal Protection Clause requires state laws to treat people in similar situations the same way, preventing discriminatory government action. Its Due Process Clause guarantees fair procedures and protects fundamental rights before the state can deprive a person of life, liberty, or property. While due process exists at the federal level in the Fifth Amendment, the combination of equal protection and due process as applied to state actions comes from the Fourteenth Amendment. The other amendments address different rights—freedom of expression and religion, prohibition, and terms of office—not these guarantees.