equal protection

noun

: a guarantee under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that a state must treat an individual or class of individuals the same as it treats other individuals or classes in like circumstances

Examples of equal protection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The complaint includes causes of action based on the Ohio Constitution, and specifically safeguards for freedom of speech, equal protection and due course of law. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Oct. 2025

The Louisiana case, propelled by plaintiffs including one man who didn’t realize he was involved, could reshape the balance between the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution’s promise of equal protection. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025

Louisiana got sued by civil rights groups for violating the Voting Rights Act when the map had only one majority-Black district and sued by White voters for violating the Constitution’s equal protection clause when the map had two majority-Black districts. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025

The argument opposing the intentional creation of racial districts is that the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment demands the same treatment of all citizens regardless of race, banning any distinction even when designed to benefit minorities. —Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for equal protection

• interconnection
• microinjection
• superinfection
• abjection
• advection
• affection
• bijection
• bisection
• collection
• complexion
• confection
• connection

Legal Definition

equal protection

noun

: a guarantee under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that a state must treat an individual or class of individuals the same as it treats other individuals or classes in like circumstances

called also equal protection of the law

see also rational basis test, strict scrutiny, suspect classification

Note: The equal protection requirement of the Constitution protects against legislation that affects individuals differently without a rational basis for doing so. In reviewing claims of denial of equal protection, a court will uphold legislation that has a rational basis unless the legislation affects a fundamental right or involves a suspect classification, such as race. In such a case, the court will use a strict scrutiny standard of review and will strike down legislation that does not show a compelling need for discriminating.