What doctrine allows courts to interpret laws in light of personal liberty and autonomy?

Substantive due process is the doctrine that permits courts to interpret laws in a way that protects individual freedoms and personal autonomy. This legal principle is grounded in the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which not only mandate fair procedure but also ensure that certain fundamental rights are respected and that individuals are free from arbitrary government interference.

Substantive due process goes beyond the mere procedural aspects of law and focuses on the essence or substance of the laws themselves. It allows courts to assess whether certain governmental actions infringe upon rights deemed to be so fundamental that they warrant protection from government overreach. Through this lens, courts have recognized various rights related to personal choice, such as privacy rights, and issues involving marriage, family, and reproduction. This approach means that laws or government actions that violate these fundamental rights can be struck down, even if the procedures followed were constitutional.

In contrast, equal protection focuses on ensuring individuals are treated equally under the law, while procedural due process emphasizes the fairness of the legal processes. Judicial activism refers to the tendency of some judges to interpret the law in a manner that aligns with personal beliefs or social interests, but it is not a legal doctrine like substantive due process. Understanding this distinction highlights why substantive due process