The United States Constitution and its

amendment An amendment is a formal or official change made to a law, contract, constitution, or other legal document. It is based on the verb to amend, which means to change for better. Amendments can add, remove, or update parts of these agreements. The ...

s comprise hundreds of clauses which outline the functioning of the

United States Federal Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fe ...

, the political relationship between the states and the national government, and affect how the

United States federal court system The federal judiciary of the United States is one of the three branches of the federal government of the United States organized under the Constitution of the United States, United States Constitution and Law of the United States, laws of the fed ...

interprets the law. When a particular clause becomes an important or contentious issue of law, it is given a name for ease of reference.

Clauses within the Articles

Clauses within the Amendments

First Amendment

Establishment Clause In United States law, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, together with that Amendment's Free Exercise Clause, form the constitutional right of freedom of religion. The relevant constitutional text ...

Free Exercise Clause The Free Exercise Clause accompanies the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The ''Establishment Clause'' and the ''Free Exercise Clause'' together read: Free exercise is the liberty of persons to re ...

Free Speech Clause The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that regulate an establishment of religion, or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, th ...

* Free Press Clause * Free Assembly Clause * Petition Clause

Fourth Amendment

* Search and Seizure Clause

Fifth Amendment

* Double Jeopardy Clause * Due Process Clause (along with the Fourteenth Amendment) * Self-Incrimination Clause *

Takings Clause The Fifth Amendment (Amendment V) to the United States Constitution addresses criminal procedure and other aspects of the Constitution. It was ratified, along with nine other articles, in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights. The Fifth Amen ...

* Grand Jury Clause

Sixth Amendment

Assistance of Counsel Clause The Assistance of Counsel Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides: ''"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right...to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."'' The assistance of counse ...

* Compulsory Process Clause *

Confrontation Clause The Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that ''"in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right…to be confronted with the witnesses against him."'' The right only applies to cri ...

* Impartial Jury Clause * Information Clause * Public Trial Clause *

Speedy Trial Clause The Speedy Trial Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides, "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial...". The Clause protects the defendant from delay between the p ...

* Vicinage Clause

Eighth Amendment

Excessive Bail Clause The Excessive Bail Clause of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits excessive bail set in pre-trial detention. If a judge posts excessive bail, the defendant's lawyer may make a motion in court to lower the bail or appe ...

Fourteenth Amendment

Citizenship Clause The Citizenship Clause is the first sentence of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was adopted on July 9, 1868, which states: This clause reversed a portion of the ''Dred Scott v. Sandford'' decision, which had d ...

Privileges or Immunities Clause The Privileges or Immunities Clause is Amendment XIV, Section 1, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution. Along with the rest of the Fourteenth Amendment, this clause became part of the Constitution on July 9, 1868. Text of the clause The cl ...

* Due Process Clause * Equal Protection Clause

Recurring Clauses

* Enforcement clause

References

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clauses Of The United States Constitution * United States law-related lists