No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Interpretation
The fifth amendment lays out your rights to a trial. To be convicted of a crime, you have to be indicted and tried of it, first. Secondly, you cannot be retried if found innocent of that crime. This is what we now refer to as "Double Jeopardy".
"Due Process" is the series of events that have to take place to be convicted of a crime.
- Right to a fair and public trial conducted in a competent manner
- Right to be present at the trial
- Right to an impartial jury
- Right to be heard in one's own defense
- Laws must be written so that a reasonable person can understand what is criminal
- Taxes may only be taken for public purposes
- Property may be taken by the government only for public purposes
- Owners of property taken over by the government under its power of eminent domain
must be fairly compensated
