Due process of law

A phrase introduced into American jurisprudence in theFifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution; the principle thatthe government may not deprive an individual of life, liberty or propertyunless certain rules and procedures required by law are followed. The phrasedoes not have a fixed meaning, but embodies society's fundamental notions oflegal fairness. Specifically, the constitutional safeguard of substantive dueprocess requires that all legislation, state or federal, must be reasonablyrelated to a legitimate government objective. The concept of procedural dueprocess guarantees procedural fairness where the government attempts to depriveone of his property or liberty; this requires notice and a fair hearing priorto a deprivation of life, liberty or property.