Does The Term “Civil Liberties” Apply Only Ti Civil, Not Criminal, Law?
Civil liberties are freedoms that protect the individual from government to a certain extent. Civil liberties set limits for government so that it cannot abuse its power and interfere with the lives of its citizens. Common civil liberties include freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech, and additionally, the right to due process, to fair trial, to own property and to privacy. The formal concept of civil liberties dates back to the Magna Carta of 1215 which in turn was based on pre-existing documents.