Legal Definitions - Equal Protection Clause

The Equal Protection Clause is a provision in the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution that requires states to treat similarly situated individuals or groups equally under the law. This means that the government cannot discriminate against people based on their race, gender, religion, or other characteristics.

One example of the Equal Protection Clause in action is the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional because it violated the Equal Protection Clause. The Court found that separate educational facilities for black and white students were inherently unequal and therefore violated the principle of equal protection.

Another example is the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, in which the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the Equal Protection Clause. The Court found that denying same-sex couples the right to marry violated their right to equal protection under the law.

These examples illustrate how the Equal Protection Clause is used to ensure that all individuals are treated equally under the law, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or other characteristics.