Know Your Legal Rights-The US Constitutional Amendments

The Fourth Amendment

The Fourth Amendment originally enforced the notion that “each man’s home is his castle”, secure from unreasonable searches and seizures of property by the government.  It protects against arbitrary arrests, and is the basis of the law regarding search warrants, stop-and-frisk, safety inspections, wiretaps, and other forms of surveillance, as well as being central to many other criminal law topics and to privacy law.

Protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

Amendment IV – The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

 

The Fifth Amendment

Amendment V – The Fifth Amendment creates a number of rights relevant to both criminal and civil legal proceedings.  In criminal cases, the Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to a grand jury, forbids “double jeopardy,” and protects against self-incrimination.

It also requires that “due process of law” be part of any proceeding that denies a citizen “life, liberty or property” and requires the government to compensate citizens when it takes private property for public use.

Fifth Amendment: No one can be tried for a serious crime unless indicted (accused) by a grand jury. No one can be forced to testify against herself or himself. No one can be punished without due process of law. People must be paid for property taken for public use.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation

Charged with drug possession, driving under the influence of marijuana or alcohol?  
Contact Komorn Law Immediately to ensure your rights are recognized 248-357-2550.

The Sixth Amendment

Amendment V I – The Sixth Amendment guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a public trial without unnecessary delay, the right to a lawyer, the right to an impartial jury, and the right to know who your accusers are and the nature of the charges and evidence against you.  It has been most visibly tested in a series of cases involving terrorism, but much more often figures in cases that involve (for example) jury selection or the protection of witnesses, including victims of sex crimes as well as witnesses in need of protection from retaliation.

Sixth Amendment: People have a right to a speedy trial, to legal counsel, and to confront their accusers. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Here are all the amendments in order as well as how the states voted.

Synopsis of each ratified amendment

No.SubjectDate submitted for Ratification[4]Date ratification completed[4]Ratification time span
1stProhibits Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
2ndProtects the right to keep and bear arms.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
3rdPlaces restrictions on the quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner’s consent, prohibiting it during peacetime.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
4thProhibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets out requirements for search warrants based on probable cause as determined by a neutral judge or magistrate.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
5thSets out rules for indictment by grand jury and eminent domain, protects the right to due process, and prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
6thProtects the right to a fair and speedy public trial by jury, including the rights to be notified of the accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
7thProvides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases, according to common law.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
8thProhibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
9thProtects rights not enumerated in the Constitution.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
10thReinforces the principle of federalism by stating that the federal government possesses only those powers delegated to it by the states or the people through the Constitution.September 25, 1789December 15, 17912 years
2 months
20 days
11thMakes states immune from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state borders; lays the foundation for sovereign immunity.March 4, 1794February 7, 179511 months
3 days
12thRevises presidential election procedures by having the President and Vice President elected together as opposed to the Vice President being the runner up.December 9, 1803June 15, 18046 months
6 days
13thAbolishes slavery, and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.January 31, 1865December 6, 186510 months
6 days
14thDefines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post–Civil War issues.June 13, 1866July 9, 18682 years
0 months
26 days
15thProhibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color or previous condition of servitude.February 26, 1869February 3, 187011 months
8 days
16thPermits Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on the United States Census.July 12, 1909February 3, 19133 years
6 months
22 days
17thEstablishes the direct election of United States Senators by popular vote.May 13, 1912April 8, 191310 months
26 days
18thProhibited the manufacturing or sale of alcohol within the United States.
(Repealed December 5, 1933, via 21st Amendment.)
December 18, 1917January 16, 19191 year
0 months
29 days
19thProhibits the denial of the right to vote based on sex.June 4, 1919August 18, 19201 year
2 months
14 days
20thChanges the date on which the terms of the President and Vice President (January 20) and Senators and Representatives (January 3) end and begin.March 2, 1932January 23, 193310 months
21 days
21stRepeals the 18th Amendment and makes it a federal offense to transport or import intoxicating liquors into US states and territories where such transport or importation is prohibited by the laws of those states and territories.February 20, 1933December 5, 19339 months
15 days
22ndLimits the number of times that a person can be elected president: a person cannot be elected president more than twice, and a person who has served more than two years of a term to which someone else was elected cannot be elected more than once.March 24, 1947February 27, 19513 years
11 months
6 days
23rdGrants the District of Columbia electors (the number of electors being equal to the least populous state) in the Electoral College.June 16, 1960March 29, 19619 months
12 days
24thProhibits the revocation of voting rights due to the non-payment of a poll tax or any other tax.September 14, 1962January 23, 19641 year
4 months
27 days
25thAddresses succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities.July 6, 1965February 10, 19671 year
7 months
4 days
26thProhibits the denial of the right of US citizens, eighteen years of age or older, to vote on account of age.March 23, 1971July 1, 19713 months
8 days
27thDelays laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until after the next election of representatives.September 25, 1789May 5, 1992[5]202 years
7 months
10 days

Summation of ratification data for each ratified amendment

” Y ” indicates that state ratified amendment
” N ” indicates that state rejected amendment
” Y(‡) ” indicates that state ratified amendment after first rejecting it
” Y(×) ” indicates that state ratified amendment, later rescinded that ratification, but subsequently re-ratified it
” — ” indicates that state did not complete action on amendment
 … ” indicates that amendment was ratified before state joined the Union
State
(in order of statehood)
1–101112131415161718192021222324252627
 DelawareYYNY(‡)Y(‡)Y(‡)YY(‡)YY(‡)YYYYYYYY
 PennsylvaniaYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 New JerseyYYY(‡)Y(×)Y(‡)YYYYYYYYYYYY
 GeorgiaYYYYY(‡)YYYY(‡)YYYY
 ConnecticutYYNYYYNYNYYYYYYYYY
 MassachusettsYYY(‡)YYYYYYYYYNYYYY
 MarylandYYYYY(‡)Y(‡)YYYY(‡)YYYYYYYY
 South CarolinaYYYYY(‡)YYYY(‡)YNYYYY
 New HampshireYYYYYYY(‡)YYYYYYYYYYY
 VirginiaYYYYY(‡)YNYY(‡)YYYYYYY
 New YorkYYYYYY(×)YYYYYYYYYYY
 North CarolinaYYYYY(‡)YYYYYYYYYYY
 Rhode IslandYYYYYYNYNYYYYYYYY
 VermontYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 KentuckyYYY(‡)Y(‡)Y(‡)YYYYYYYY
 TennesseeYYYY(‡)YYYYYYYYYYYY
 OhioYYY(×)Y(‡)YYYYYYYYYYYY
 LouisianaYY(‡)YYYYY(‡)YYYYY
 IndianaYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 MississippiY(‡)YYYYY(‡)YYNY
 IllinoisYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 AlabamaYYYYYYY(‡)YYYYYYYY
 MaineYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 MissouriYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 ArkansasYYYY(‡)YYYYYYNYYY
 MichiganYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 FloridaYYYYYYYYYYY
 TexasYY(‡)YYYYYYYYYYYY
 IowaYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 WisconsinYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 CaliforniaYYY(‡)YYYYYYYYYYYY
 MinnesotaYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 OregonYY(×)Y(‡)YYYYYYYYYYYY
 KansasYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 West VirginiaYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 NevadaYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 NebraskaYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 ColoradoYYYYYYYYYYYY
  North DakotaYYYYYYYYY
 South DakotaYYYYYYYYY
 MontanaYYYYYYYYYYYY
 WashingtonYYYYYYYYYYY
 IdahoYYYYYYYYYYYY
 WyomingYYYYYYYYYYY
 UtahNNYYYYYYYYY
 OklahomaYYYYYNYYYY
 New MexicoYYYYYYYYYYY
 ArizonaYYYYYYYYYY
 AlaskaYYYYY
 HawaiiYYYYY
State
(in order of statehood)
1–101112131415161718192021222324252627

Remember

  • Refusing to answer questions is not an admission of guilt
  • Asserting your right to remain silent is not an admission of guilt
  • Demanding to have your lawyer present during any questioning is not an admission of guilt
  • Refusing a search is not an admission of guilt.

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