Ex post facto law

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Ex post facto law

Annotation

Ex post facto means to do something after the fact. Article One of the Constitution prevents the Congress from taking action after the fact. In other words Congress cannot pass a law and have the law apply to people who may have broken the law before the law was passed.

Citations

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Article 1, Section 9, Cluase 3

Article 1, Section 10, Clause 1

Citations

Article 1, Section 9, Cluase 3

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

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Article 1, Section 10, Clause

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.