Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, and Due Process of Law: The Fifth Amendment

When people "plead the fifth" in the courtroom, they are invoking their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent in order to avoid answering questions in a way that might incriminate them. But the Fifth Amendment guarantees far more than the right to remain silent. The Fifth Amendment was created in order to ensure that lawsuits and court proceedings are conducted in a speedy and humane manner. This book examines each clause in the Fifth Amendment, including the idea of "due process of the law," and tracks the major cases involving the amendment from the eighteenth century to today.