The Bill of Rights is the first ten Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.

The Bill of Rights also sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the federal government to the people or to the states. And it specifies that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

In Maryland, as in all states, the Bill of Rights provides the foundational civil liberties and rights that protect individuals from government overreach. These first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution guarantee freedoms such as speech, press, and religion, and ensure due process of law. The Tenth Amendment, in particular, reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people, allowing states like Maryland to enact laws and govern in a manner that is not inconsistent with the Constitution. Maryland's own Declaration of Rights, which predates the U.S. Bill of Rights, similarly protects these freedoms and has been interpreted in line with the federal Bill of Rights by Maryland courts. It's important to note that while the federal Bill of Rights sets a baseline for rights across the country, states can provide more expansive rights, but not fewer, than those guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.