equalprotection

The Equal Protection Clause is a provision of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It states that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. This means that all individuals must be treated equally by the government, regardless of their background or characteristics.

The Supreme Court has interpreted the Equal Protection Clause to prohibit arbitrary discrimination. However, the level of scrutiny applied to laws that classify people varies. Laws that involve fundamental rights or suspect classifications, such as race, religion, or national origin, are subject to strict scrutiny, meaning they must serve a compelling government interest and be narrowly tailored. Laws that classify based on gender are subject to intermediate scrutiny. Other classifications, such as economic status, are generally subject to rational basis review, requiring only that the law be rationally related to a legitimate government purpose.

The Equal Protection Clause has been instrumental in advancing civil rights in the United States. It has been used to challenge laws that discriminated based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, leading to landmark decisions that desegregated schools and ensured voting rights. Its application continues to evolve as society grapples with new forms of inequality.