Alabama Constitution Section 19 - Bills of attainder of treason by legislature prohibited; conviction not to work corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate.
Alabama Constitution – Section 19 states:
"No bill of attainder shall be passed, nor any conviction work corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate."
Explanation:
Bills of Attainder Prohibited:
A bill of attainder is a legislative act that declares a person or group guilty of some crime and punishes them without a trial.
Section 19 forbids the Alabama Legislature from passing such bills, ensuring the right to a fair trial.
No Corruption of Blood:
Corruption of blood means that a person's family could lose inheritance rights because of the person's criminal actions.
This section ensures that criminal convictions do not affect the legal rights of the convicted person's family, especially regarding inheritance.
No Forfeiture of Estate:
It prohibits the automatic loss of a convicted person’s property by the state.
This protects the property rights of individuals and their heirs, even in cases of serious crimes like treason.
Summary:
Section 19 upholds the principles of individual justice, due process, and property rights, preventing the legislature from imposing punishment without trial and safeguarding families from the consequences of a relative’s conviction.
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