Process of Law

"... nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..."-Amendment V

Hello! 

Yes, we are still in the 5th amendment. It's kinda long. 

This quote means that no one can be sentenced to death or prison or have their property taken from them 

without due process.  The phrase "due process" means the whole legal shebang- a proper case and verdict 

with lawyers, a jury, a grand Jury, and more. This right protects people  from being sentenced without a 

trial. Here's a fictitious example of this being ignored:

Ian ate his neighbor's pig without permission. (He's got a large appetite.) His neighbor, Susan, is distraught  

over the death of Petunia, the pig, and tells a police officer. Officer Ted arrests Ian, and on the way to the 

police station decides that Ian deserves to go to prison for five years. After all, Susan showed him the 

bones. That's evidence enough, right? Officer Ted drops Ian off at the jail, locks him up, and returns to his 

patrol. 

In this example due process did not happen. There was some process, but certainly not enough. It's 

obvious that without the 5th amendment there would be much less justice.