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Bill of Attainder

2 October, 2015 - 10:15

Bill of attainder is when the legislative branch of government punishes the defendant without a trial. The drafters of the Constitution wanted to ensure that criminal defendants have a full and fair adjudication of their rights before the government imposes punishment. Bill of attainder is usually accomplished by a statute that targets an individual or group of individuals for some type of government sanction. Bill of attainder protection enforces separatioopowerby eliminating the ability of the legislature to impose criminal punishment without a trial conducted by the judicial branch. 1