The Incorporation Doctrine is a constitutional doctrine that uses the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to extend the protections of the Bill of Rights to the states. This mechanism serves to safeguard individual rights by ensuring that state laws and practices do not violate fundamental rights guaranteed at the federal level.
One of the key examples of freedoms protected by the Incorporation Doctrine includes the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech, religion, and assembly. Additionally, it encompasses other rights such as the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures and the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.
A notable example of the Incorporation Doctrine in action is the Supreme Court case Mapp v. Ohio (1961). In this case, the Court ruled that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment could not be used in state courts. This decision applied the exclusionary rule to the states, protecting individuals from unlawful searches and seizures regardless of whether they were being prosecuted by federal or state authorities.
By applying these fundamental rights against state infringement, the Incorporation Doctrine plays a crucial role in ensuring that individual liberties are upheld uniformly across the United States.