What does a Bill of Attainder do?

A Bill of Attainder is a legislative act that singles out a person or group for punishment without a trial. This means that it allows the government to impose severe penalties—such as imprisonment or even more extreme measures—on an individual without going through the legal processes typically required for criminal prosecutions, including a fair trial and the opportunity for defense.

The essence of a Bill of Attainder is its focus on targeted punishment, which directly contradicts the legal principles of due process and the right to a fair trial. The U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibits Bills of Attainder because they strip individuals of their rights and are seen as a violation of civil liberties.

In contrast, other options do not accurately represent the nature of a Bill of Attainder. Laws that make future acts criminal refer to ex post facto laws, which are designed to criminalize actions after they have occurred, rather than imposing penalties without trial. A punishment defined by a jury trial is the process of determining guilt or innocence and assigning penalties within a judicial framework, which is the opposite of what a Bill of Attainder represents. Finally, a proposal presented to a legislature typically refers to the legislative process for creating new laws, which does not involve the punishment of individuals without a