Equal Justice Under Law

The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States substantially changed the relationship between the federal and state governments by guaranteeing citizen rights, including those enumerated in the Bill of Rights, at the state and local levels. Below is the second sentence of the 14th Amendment, with its three clauses: “privileges and immunities,” “due process,” and “equal justice under law.”

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.