rights
Rights are the privileges or protections one is entitled to by law. In the United States, the many individual and group rights 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 granted in the Constitution or another instrument, and unenumerated rights, which are implied in an instrument. Rights may also be inherently prescribed by legal documents, such as transactions or contracts; these rights are then enforced by the justice system, or the courts.
[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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