Due Process

Power, by its nature, seeks efficiency.

Justice, by its nature, demands restraint.

“Due process” is not a favor granted by the state—it is a condition the state must meet before it may act against any person.

The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments enshrine this idea:

Government may not deprive anyone of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

But what does that mean?

It means the government must follow known procedures.

It must give reasons.

It must notify you.

It must hear you.

It must decide fairly, under laws that are written in advance and applied without bias.

No emergency, no outrage, no popularity of opinion may excuse skipping these steps.

The test of due process is not how the powerful are treated—but how the accused, the unpopular, the poor, and the presumed guilty are treated.

It is not about how efficiently a verdict is reached, but how carefully it is earned.

Due process exists to prevent the state from becoming judge, jury, and executioner in one.

It slows down power.

It gives the individual a voice—even when that voice is trembling.

A government that rules first and explains later may be strong.

But a government that rules only through process is just.

The promise of the Constitution is not that the right people will rule,

but that the right rules will restrain them.

That is due process:

Rules before rulers.

Justice before judgment.