How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prevents states from denying individuals equal protection under the law. This means that each person must be treated equally, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or any other trait. In the United States, this concept is of particular importance, as people are guaranteed equal protection in all aspects of their lives. In the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court interpreted the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in a powerful way. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that the segregation of public school students based on race was unconstitutional. This groundbreaking decision held that states may not pass laws that discriminate against citizens on the basis of race, as such laws violate the Equal Protection Clause. In more recent Supreme Court cases, the interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause has evolved. For example, in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), the Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples in all states. This ruling held that any law that discriminates against same-sex couples’ right to marry is unconstitutional, again due to the Equal Protection Clause. Overall, the Supreme Court has interpreted the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in a variety of ways throughout the years. The Supreme Court’s use of this clause has been instrumental in protecting the civil rights of all citizens, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or any other trait.

How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?

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