A law punishing conduct that was not criminal when performed is known as?

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Prepare for the AP Gov Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam today!

Multiple Choice

A law punishing conduct that was not criminal when performed is known as?

Explanation:
Retroactive criminal punishment is forbidden. An ex post facto law punishes conduct that was not criminal when performed, or increases penalties or changes the legal rules after the fact in a way that harms the person. The Constitution bans such laws for both the federal government and the states. So a law that punishes past behavior is an ex post facto law. The other options refer to different constitutional protections—Writ of Habeas Corpus protects against unlawful detention, Civil Rights cover broad protections against discrimination, and the Free Exercise Clause protects religious practice—none of which describe retroactive punishment.

Retroactive criminal punishment is forbidden. An ex post facto law punishes conduct that was not criminal when performed, or increases penalties or changes the legal rules after the fact in a way that harms the person. The Constitution bans such laws for both the federal government and the states. So a law that punishes past behavior is an ex post facto law. The other options refer to different constitutional protections—Writ of Habeas Corpus protects against unlawful detention, Civil Rights cover broad protections against discrimination, and the Free Exercise Clause protects religious practice—none of which describe retroactive punishment.

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