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- CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
- (As amended to 1972)
- PREAMBLE
-
- We, the people of the state of Michigan, grateful to Al-
- mighty God for the blessings of freedom, and earnestly de-
- siring to secure these blessings undiminished to ourselves
- and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitu-
- tion.
-
- ARTICLE I
-
- DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
-
- Sec. 1. All political power is inherent in the people. Government is
- instituted for their equal benefit, security and protection.
-
- Sec. 2. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws;
- nor shall any person be denied the enjoyment of his civil or
- political rights or be discriminated against in the exercise
- thereof because of religion, race, color or national origin.
- The legislature shall implement this Section by appropriate
- legislation.
-
- Sec. 3. The people have the right peaceably to assemble, to consult
- for the common good, to instruct their representatives and
- to petition the government for redress of grievances.
-
- Sec. 4. Every person shall be at liberty to worship God according to
- the dictates of his own conscience. No person shall be com-
- pelled to attend, or, against his consent, to contribute to
- the erection or support of any place of religious worship,
- or to pay tithes, taxes or other rates for the support of
- any minister of the gospel or teacher of religion. No money
- shall be appropriated or drawn from the treasury for the
- benefit of any religious sect or society, theological or
- religious seminary; nor shall property belonging to the
- state be appropriated for any such purpose. The civil and
- political rights, privileges and capacities of no person
- shall be diminished or enlarged on account of his religious
- belief.
-
- Sec. 5. Every person may freely speak, write, express and publish
- his views on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse
- of such right; and no law shall be enacted to restrain or
- abridge the liberty of speech or of the press.
-
- Sec. 6. Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the de-
- fense of himself and the state.
-
- Sec. 7. The military shall in all cases and at all times be in
- strict subordination to the civil power.
-
- Sec. 8. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any
- house without the consent of the owner or occupant,nor in
- time of war, except in a manner prescribed by law
-
- Sec. 9. Neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude unless for the
- punishment of crime, shall ever be tolerated in this state.
-
- Sec. 10. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law or law impairing the
- obligation of contract shall be enacted.
-
- Sec. 11. The person, houses, papers and possessions of every person
- shall be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures. No
- warrant to search any place or to seize any person or things
- shall issue without describing them, nor without probable
- cause, supported by oath or affirmation. The provisions of
- this Section shall not be construed to bar from evidence in
- any criminal proceeding any narcotic drug, firearm, bomb,
- explo- sive or any other dangerous weapon, seized by a peace
- officer outside the curtilage of any dwelling house in this
- state.
-
- Sec. 12. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be sus-
- pended unless in case of rebellion or invasion the public
- safety may require it.
-
- Sec. 13. A suitor in any court of this state has the right to prose-
- cute or defend his suit, either in his own proper person or
- by an attorney.
-
- Sec. 14. The right of trial by jury shall remain, but shall be waived
- in all civil cases unless demanded by one of the parties in
- the manner prescribed by law. In all civil cases tried by
- 12 jurors a verdict shall be received when 10 jurors agree.
-
- Sec. 15. No person shall be subject for the same offense to be twice
- put in jeopardy. All persons shall, before conviction, be
- bailable by sufficient sureties, except for murder and trea-
- son when the proof is evident or the presumption great.
-
- Sec. 16. Excessive bail shall not be required; excessive fines shall
- not be imposed; cruel or unusual punishment shall not be
- inflicted; nor shall witnesses be unreasonably detained.
-
- Sec. 17. No person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a
- witness against himself. nor be deprived of life, liberty,
- or property without due process of law. The right of all in-
- dividuals, firms, corporations and voluntary associations to
- fair and just treatment in the course of legislative and ex-
- ecutive investigations and hearings shall not be infringed.
-
- Sec. 18. No person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness on
- account of his opinions on matters of religious belief.
-
- Sec. 19. In all prosecutions for libel, the truth may be given in
- evidence to the jury; and, if it appears to the jury that
- the matter charged as libelous is true and was published
- with good motives and for justifiable ends, the accused
- shall be acquitted.
-
- Sec. 20. In every criminal prosecution, the accused shall have the
- right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury,
- which may consist of less than 12 jurors in all courts not
- of record; to be informed of the nature of the accusation;
- to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have
- compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor; to
- have the assistance of counsel for his defense; to have an
- appeal as a matter of right; and in courts of record, when
- the trial court so orders, to have such reasonable assist-
- ance as may be necessary to perfect and prosecute an appeal.
-
- Sec. 21. No person shall be imprisoned for debt arising out of or
- founded on contract, express or implied, except in cases of
- fraud or breach of trust.
-
- Sec. 22. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war
- against it or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and
- comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless upon
- the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or on
- confession in open court.
-
- Sec. 23. The enumeration in this constitution of certain rights shall
- not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the
- people.
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