What does the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution say about civil rights?

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in 1868, and it was the first Amendment to explicitly define citizenship and civil rights in the country. It states that all citizens of the United States (both born or naturalized) have equal protection of the laws and are guaranteed due process. It also prohibits states from violating the civil rights of citizens, or denying them privileges or immunities held by other citizens in the same state. In terms of civil rights, the Fourteenth Amendment provides that no state shall “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”, thus guaranteeing that states cannot discriminate against citizens based on race, religion, sex, or any other factor. This Amendment has become the cornerstone of civil rights law in the United States, and is the basis for many of the landmark civil rights rulings that have been made in the history of the United States. In Virginia, the Fourteenth Amendment is applied to civil rights cases in the same way as in other states in the US. This Amendment is also used to protect the civil rights of individuals and groups who are discriminated against in the state, or who suffer from unequal treatment in the legal system. This Amendment is used as the basis of many civil rights laws in Virginia.

Related FAQs

What is the Civil Rights Act of 1991?
What is the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act?
What is the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice?
What are the rights of students with disabilities under IDEA?
What remedies exist for race discrimination in schools?
What are the civil rights of defendants facing criminal prosecution?
What is the standard for proving a violation of civil rights laws?
How do civil rights laws protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation?
What is the settlement process related to civil rights violations?
What are the civil rights of individuals detained at the US border?

Related Blog Posts

Understanding Your Rights under Civil Rights Law: A Guide - July 31, 2023
Unpacking the Components of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act - August 7, 2023
Comprehending Employment Discrimination: A Civil Rights Law Primer - August 14, 2023
Uncovering Unlawful Harassment in the Workplace - August 21, 2023
Combatting Workplace Discrimination through Civil Rights Law - August 28, 2023