rational-basis test. Constitutional law. The criterion for judicial analysis of a statute that does not implicate a fundamental right or a suspect or quasi-suspect classification under the Due Process or Equal Protection Clause, whereby the court will uphold a law if it bears a reasonable relationship to the attainment of a legitimate governmental objective. • […]
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equal protection. The 14th Amendment guarantee that the government must treat a person or class of persons the same as it treats other persons or classes in like circumstances. • In today’s constitutional jurisprudence, equal protection means that legislation that discriminates must have a rational basis for doing so. And if the legislation affects a
The 14th Amendment guarantee that the government must treat a person or class of persons the same as it treats other persons or classes in like circumstances. • In today’s constitutional jurisprudence, equal protection means that legislation that discriminates must have a rational basis for doing so. And if the legislation affects a fundamental right
intermediate scrutiny. Constitutional law. A standard lying between the extremes of rational-basis review and strict scrutiny. • Under the standard, if a statute contains a quasi-suspect classification (such as gender or legitimacy), the classification must be substantially related to the achievement of an important governmental objective. — Also termed middle-level scrutiny; mid-level scrutiny; heightened scrutiny.
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strict scrutiny. Constitutional law. The standard applied to suspect classifications (such as race) in equal-protection analysis and to fundamental rights (such as voting rights) in due-process analysis. • Under strict scrutiny, the state must establish that it has a compelling interest that justifies and necessitates the law in question. See COMPELLING-STATE-INTEREST TEST T; SUSPECT CLASSIFICATION;