Which of the following is a limit on the government’s power

Subject : Law

Question:

Which of the following is a limit on the government’s power?

A. All of these are limits on the government.

B. No ex post facto laws.

C. No bills of attainder.

D. No suspension of a writ of habeas corpus.

Expert Verified Solution:

The correct answer is A. “All of these are limits on the government.”

Here’s why each option is a limit on government power:

B. No ex post facto laws: These laws are those that retroactively change the legal status of actions that were committed before the laws were enacted. The prohibition against ex post facto laws prevents the government from punishing individuals for acts that were not illegal at the time they were committed.

C. No bills of attainder: A bill of attainder is a legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without a trial. The prohibition against bills of attainder protects individuals from being punished by the government without due process.

D. No suspension of a writ of habeas corpus: The writ of habeas corpus is a legal order that requires a person under arrest to be brought before a judge. The suspension of this writ would mean that individuals could be detained indefinitely without being given a chance to challenge their detention in court. This prohibition ensures that individuals have the right to contest unlawful detention.

Each of these measures serves to limit the government’s ability to exert unchecked power, thus protecting individual rights and maintaining a system of checks and balances.