我们每个个人都拥有一些特定的权利 There are certain individual rights
这被认为是绝对的 that are recognized as absolute when
尤其在现代社会看来 这是必须的 it comes to modern society, and, yes, these rights unfortunately
这些权利包括你发推特的权利
午餐吃恺撒沙拉的权利 include tweeting that you had a Caesar salad for lunch--
别忘了 还有言论自由哟 freedom of speech, after all.
我们还有一项基本的权利 那就是正当程序权 But another fundamental right is the right to due process.
或许你听说过 You may be familiar with the term,
因为它是美国司法哲学中不可或缺的一部分 since it's an integral part of American judicial philosophy,
更不要提《权利法案》了 not to mention the Bill of Rights.
事实上 正当程序是《宪法》中 In fact, it's the only command in the Constitution
唯一提到两次的 但它到底是什么意思呢？ stated twice, but what does it mean, exactly?
本质上说 正当程序是一项法律要求 Essentially, due process is the legal requirement
政府必须尊重公民所有合法的权利 that a government must respect all of a person's legal rights
然后才可能剥夺他的 before taking from them, and I quote, "life, liberty,
“生命 自由或财产” or property."
具体而言 正当程序包括 Specific elements of due process include the right
通知你因何罪名而被起诉 to a notice of the charges against you,
案子被听审的权利 the opportunity to be heard, and the opportunity
以及为自己辩护的权利 to defend yourself.
如果缺少其中任何一个步骤 When a system of law ignores any one of these steps
就给人定罪的话 before convicting someone, this constitutes
那这就构成违反了正当程序 a violation of due process and the rule of law.
这不是什么新鲜事物 This is not a new idea, by the way.
正当程序这一概念 The very concept of due process was originally
最早出现在《大宪章》中
不 不是这个啦 换一张 documented in the Magna Carta, no, the other one.
跟其它地方一样 佛罗里达州的法律 Florida law, like most everywhere,
也包含正当程序条款 它给予人特定的保护 includes within the idea of due process certain protections.
比如 你不能逼迫人自证其罪 For example, you can't be forced to testify against yourself.
正当程序还包括一罪不二审 Due process also means no double jeopardy,
意思可不是两场电竞秀啦 which does not mean two doses of a TV trivia game show.
它是指同一罪行被两次审判 It means being tried for the same offense twice.
需要记住的是 正当程序 It must be remembered that due process only
适用的是政府 州和联邦的都是 applies to the government, either state or federal,
它并不适用于 and not necessarily to, say, a private school
私立学校惩戒学生 disciplining a student.
我们没法给出正当程序的细节 The one thing the idea of due process lacks is specifics.
没法概括哪些程序就是正当的 It doesn't really outline which exact processes are due.
但它最基本的应包含 The basic idea is that someone accused of something
被告应有机会跟指控他的人对质 should have a chance to face her accusers
陈述本方的案情 and give her side of the story, so most everyone
所以大家都认可的是 agrees that, at a minimum, due process
正当程序应至少包括 must include notice of the accusation,
被告应有权被通知 因何罪名而被起诉
某种形式的听审和判决 a hearing of some type, and a ruling.
详细的情况 The particulars are usually covered
通常都会在每一司法辖区的法典中 in each jurisdiction's code of law
根据不同类型的案件有所明示 for different types of cases.
但是 正当程序可是针对所有公民适用的 Nonetheless, due process is supposed
不存在任何例外 to apply to all citizens, without exception.
如果你认为你的正当程序权受到了侵害 If you think you're being prevented due process
或仅仅是想对正当程序有更多了解 or just want to find out more about it,
请访问 LegalYou 你有权了解自己的权利 visit LegalYou, because you have a right to know your rights.
就在 LegalYou LegalYou, you can do this.
螺丝瓦特@新浪微博 hendsonrk@163.com