rights

Rights are the privileges or protections a person is entitled to by law. In the United States, the many rights of American citizens are protected by the U.S. Constitution , with the most well-known rights provided by the Bill of Rights . For example, the first amendment protects freedom of speech , freedom of press , freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression. The two types of rights are enumerated rights, or those explicitly listed in the Constitution or another legal document, and unenumerated rights, which are implied in a legal document.

Rights may also be inherently prescribed by legal documents, such as transactions or contracts. Such rights are then enforced by the justice system , or the courts .

For more information, visit the LII’s Wex entry for right .

[Last reviewed in September of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

Wex

• CIVICS
• civil rights
• human rights
• the Constitution
• THE LEGAL PROCESS
• legal practice/ethics
• wex definitions
• constitutional law
• government
• legal education and practice
• legal theory