Amendment 14 · Ratified July 9, 1868
A comprehensive guide to the 14th Amendment's incorporation doctrine, detailing its historical significance, landmark cases, and modern applications.
Source: U.S. Const. amend. 14
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.
The 14th Amendment guarantees that states cannot violate individuals' rights to due process and equal protection under the law. It serves as a crucial mechanism for applying federal rights to state governments.
Ratified during the Reconstruction Era, the 14th Amendment aimed to secure rights for newly freed slaves after the Civil War. It addressed issues of citizenship, civil rights, and the relationship between state and federal authority.
A constitutional doctrine that applies certain rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights to the states through the 14th Amendment.
Holding: The Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment's free speech protections apply to the states through the 14th Amendment.
Significance: This case was pivotal in establishing the doctrine of selective incorporation, thereby extending federal constitutional protections to state laws.
Holding: The Supreme Court held that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment is inadmissible in state courts.
Significance: This furthered the incorporation of protections against unlawful searches and seizures at the state level.