How are equal protection and due process guaranteed under the Georgia Constitution?

• A. They are guaranteed only by the federal Constitution.
• B. They apply only to criminal cases.
• C. They are guaranteed by the Georgia Constitution; classifications and laws must respect fundamental rights.
• D. They are not guaranteed in Georgia.

Answer: (C)

In Georgia, due process and equal protection are protected by the state constitution itself, not just by the federal Constitution. The key idea is that when the government makes or applies laws, it must treat people fairly and not discriminate arbitrarily. The requirement to respect fundamental rights means that classifications or laws that burden those rights must be justified and subjected to careful scrutiny. That’s why the best choice is that these protections are guaranteed by the Georgia Constitution and that classifications must respect fundamental rights. The other statements miss the point: they either deny Georgia’s own guarantees, limit protections to criminal cases, or say they aren’t guaranteed at all.