Article III, Section 3 of the United States Constitution
E99760
Article III, Section 3 of the United States Constitution is the provision that narrowly defines the crime of treason against the United States and sets strict evidentiary and procedural requirements for its conviction.
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
constitutional provision
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section of the United States Constitution → |
| adoptedOn |
June 21, 1788
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|
| aimsToPrevent |
abuse of treason charges for political purposes
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|
| appliesTo |
persons owing allegiance to the United States
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|
| assignsPowerTo |
Congress to declare the punishment of treason
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|
| cameIntoEffect |
March 4, 1789
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|
| citationForm |
U.S. Const. art. III, § 3
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|
| constitutionalLevel |
federal
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|
| country |
United States
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|
| defines |
treason against the United States
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|
| ensures |
narrow constitutional definition of treason in the United States
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|
| establishesRequirement |
no person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act
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or on confession in open court for conviction of treason → |
| governs |
federal treason law in the United States
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|
| hasKeyword |
Congress
NERFINISHED
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confession in open court → corruption of blood → forfeiture → overt act → treason → two witnesses → |
| historicalContext |
Framing era concerns about broad treason laws in England
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|
| influencedBy |
English law on treason
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|
| inLanguage |
English
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|
| interpretedBy |
Supreme Court of the United States
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|
| jurisdiction |
United States
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|
| legalEffect |
imposes strict evidentiary requirements for treason convictions
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limits punishments that may follow a treason conviction → restricts scope of treason prosecutions → sets constitutional definition of treason in the United States → |
| limitsDefinitionTo |
adhering to enemies of the United States
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giving aid and comfort to enemies of the United States → levying war against the United States → |
| limitsPowerOf |
Congress regarding punishment of treason
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|
| locatedInDocument |
main body of the United States Constitution
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|
| mentions |
overt act
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|
| partOf |
Article III of the United States Constitution
→
United States Constitution → |
| prohibits |
corruption of blood as a consequence of attainder of treason
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forfeiture beyond the life of the person attainted for treason → |
| protects |
descendants of persons convicted of treason from legal penalties of corruption of blood
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|
| requires |
confession in open court as alternative basis for treason conviction
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testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act for treason conviction → |
| subject |
treason
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|
| text |
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
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Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. → |
Referenced by (1)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Article III, Section 1 of the United States Constitution
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|
relatedTo |