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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Eighth Amendment
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A quick definition of Eighth Amendment:
The Eighth Amendment is a part of the United States Constitution that says people can't be punished too harshly. It also says that bail (money paid to get out of jail before a trial) can't be too high, and fines (money paid as a punishment) can't be too much. This amendment is important because it protects people from being treated unfairly by the government.
A more thorough explanation:
The Eighth Amendment is a part of the United States Constitution that protects citizens from excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.
The Excessive Bail section of the Eighth Amendment protects citizens from being required to pay an unreasonably high amount of money to be released from jail before their trial. For example, if someone is arrested for a minor crime like shoplifting, it would be unfair to require them to pay a bail amount of $1 million. This section was established in the case of United States v. Motlow, where the court ruled that fixing bail at an unreasonably high amount is unconstitutional.
The Excessive Fines section of the Eighth Amendment protects citizens from being fined an amount that is grossly disproportionate to the crime they committed. For example, if someone is caught speeding and is fined $10,000, that would be considered excessive. This section was established in the case of Waters-Pierce Oil Co. v. Texas, where the court ruled that imposing grossly excessive fines is unconstitutional.
The Cruel and Unusual Punishment section of the Eighth Amendment protects citizens from being punished in a way that is grossly disproportionate to the crime they committed. For example, if someone is caught stealing a candy bar and is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, that would be considered cruel and unusual punishment. This section was established in the case of Furman v. Georgia, where the court ruled that the death penalty was unconstitutional because it was being applied in a way that was arbitrary and capricious.
In addition to protecting citizens from disproportionate punishment, this section also protects them from inhumane conditions of confinement. For example, if someone is being held in a jail cell that is overcrowded, unsanitary, and lacks basic necessities like food and water, that would be considered inhumane. This was established in the case of Whitley v. Albers, where the court ruled that prison officials can be held liable for violating the Eighth Amendment if they subject prisoners to cruel and unusual punishment.