What is a bill of attainder?

• A. Declaring a person or a group of people as guilty and punishing them without the benefit of judicial trial.
• B. A law to raise taxes.
• C. A law about elections.
• D. An order to appoint judges.

Answer: (A)

A bill of attainder is a law passed by the legislature that declares a person or a group guilty and imposes punishment without a judicial trial. The crucial point is that it bypasses the court system and due process protections, denying the accused the chance to defend themselves in a fair trial. Because of this violation of core rights, constitutions forbid such measures at both the federal and state levels. In practice, the prohibition ensures guilt and punishment are determined through the judiciary, not by legislative decree aimed at specific individuals or groups. The other options describe ordinary laws about taxes or elections or orders about appointing judges, which do not inherently punish someone without due process, so they don’t fit the concept.