PENNSYLVANIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

ART. I §0 | ARTICLE I INTRODUCTION

Adoption.

Unless otherwise noted, the provisions of Article I were adopted December 16, 1873, 1874 P.L.3, effective January 1, 1874.

That the general, great and essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and unalterably established, WE DECLARE THAT --

ART. I §1 | INHERENT RIGHTS OF MANKIND

All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.

ART. I §2 | POLITICAL POWERS

All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness. For the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper.

ART. I §3 | RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent; no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship.

ART. I §4 | RELIGION

No person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth.

ART. I §5 | ELECTIONS

Elections shall be free and equal; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage.

ART. I §6 | TRIAL BY JURY

Trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof remain inviolate. The General Assembly may provide, however, by law, that a verdict may be rendered by not less than five-sixths of the jury in any civil case. Furthermore, in criminal cases the Commonwealth shall have the same right to trial by jury as does the accused.

ART. I §7 | FREEDOM OF PRESS AND SPEECH; LIBELS

The printing press shall be free to every person who may undertake to examine the proceedings of the Legislature or any branch of government, and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man, and every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. No conviction shall be had in any prosecution for the publication of papers relating to the official conduct of officers or men in public capacity, or to any other matter proper for public investigation or information, where the fact that such publication was not maliciously or negligently made shall be established to the satisfaction of the jury; and in all indictments for libels the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other cases.

Notes

Constitutionality.

The provisions of section 7 relating to criminal libel were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in Commonwealth v. Armao, 446 Pa. 325, 286 A.2d 626 (1972).

ART. I §8 | SECURITY FROM SEARCHES AND SEIZURES

The people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers and possessions from unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrant to search any place or to seize any person or things shall issue without describing them as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation subscribed to by the affiant.

ART. I §9 | RIGHTS OF ACCUSED IN CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS

In all criminal prosecutions the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his counsel, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and, in prosecutions by indictment or information, a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage; he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor can he be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unless by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land. The use of a suppressed voluntary admission or voluntary confession to impeach the credibility of a person may be permitted and shall not be construed as compelling a person to give evidence against himself.

Notes

1995 Amendment.

Joint Resolution No. 1 amended section 9. The passage of Joint Resolution No.1 was declared unconstitutional by Bergdoll v. Kane 731 A.2d 1261 (1999) and the language was reverted.

ART. I §10 | INITIATION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS; TWICE IN JEOPARDY; EMINENT DOMAIN

Except as hereinafter provided no person shall, for any indictable offense, be proceeded against criminally by information, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service, in time of war or public danger, or by leave of the court for oppression or misdemeanor in office. Each of the several courts of common pleas may, with the approval of the Supreme Court, provide for the initiation of criminal proceedings therein by information filed in the manner provided by law. No person shall, for the same offense, be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall private property be taken or applied to public use, without authority of law and without just compensation being first made or secured.

ART. I §11 | COURTS TO BE OPEN; SUITS AGAINST THE COMMONWEALTH

All courts shall be open; and every man for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation shall have remedy by due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale, denial or delay. Suits may be brought against the Commonwealth in such manner, in such courts and in such cases as the Legislature may by law direct.

ART. I §12 | POWER OF SUSPENDING LAWS

No power of suspending laws shall be exercised unless by the Legislature or by its authority.

ART. I §13 | BAIL, FINES AND PUNISHMENTS

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

ART. I §14 | PRISONERS TO BE BAILABLE; HABEAS CORPUS

All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offenses or for offenses for which the maximum sentence is life imprisonment or unless no condition or combination of conditions other than imprisonment will reasonably assure the safety of any person and the community when the proof is evident or presumption great; and the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in case of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

ART. I §15 | SPECIAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNALS

No commission shall issue creating special temporary criminal tribunals to try particular individuals or particular classes of cases.

ART. I §16 | INSOLVENT DEBTORS

The person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, shall not be continued in prison after delivering up his estate for the benefit of his creditors in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

ART. I §17 | EX POST FACTO LAWS; IMPAIRMENT OF CONTRACTS

No ex post facto law, nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, or making irrevocable any grant of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed.

ART. I §18 | ATTAINDER

No person shall be attainted of treason or felony by the Legislature.

ART. I §19 | ATTAINDER LIMITED

No attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor, except during the life of the offender, forfeiture of estate to the Commonwealth.

ART. I §20 | RIGHT OF PETITION

The citizens have a right in a peaceable manner to assemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances or other proper purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.

ART. I §21 | RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS

The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.

ART. I §22 | STANDING ARMY; MILITARY SUBORDINATE TO CIVIL POWER

No standing army shall, in time of peace, be kept up without the consent of the Legislature, and the military shall in all cases and at all times be in strict subordination to the civil power.

ART. I §23 | QUARTERING OF TROOPS

No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

ART. I §24 | TITLES AND OFFICES

The Legislature shall not grant any title of nobility or hereditary distinction, nor create any office the appointment to which shall be for a longer term than during good behavior.

ART. I §25 | RESERVATION OF POWERS IN PEOPLE

To guard against transgressions of the high powers which we have delegated, we declare that everything in this article is excepted out of the general powers of government and shall forever remain inviolate.

Notes

1967 Amendment.

Joint Resolution No.1 repealed former section 25 and renumbered former section 26 to present section 25.

ART. I §26 | NO DISCRIMINATION BY COMMONWEALTH AND ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

Neither the Commonwealth nor any political subdivision thereof shall deny to any person the enjoyment of any civil right, nor discriminate against any person in the exercise of any civil right.

Notes

1967 Amendment.

Joint Resolution No.1 added present section 26 and renumbered former section 26 to present section 25.

ART. I §27 | NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE PUBLIC ESTATE

The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.

Amendments

1971 Amendment.

Joint Resolution No.3 added section 27.

ART. I §28 | PROHIBITION AGAINST DENIAL OR ABRIDGMENT OF EQUALITY OF RIGHTS BECAUSE OF SEX

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the sex of the individual.

Amendments

1971 Amendment.

Joint Resolution No.2 added section 28.

ART. I §29 | PROHIBITION AGAINST DENIAL OR ABRIDGMENT OF EQUALITY OF RIGHTS BECAUSE OF RACE AND ETHNICITY

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the race or ethnicity of the individual.

Amendments

2021 Amendment.

Joint Resolution 1 added section 29.

Congratulations! You're now booked up on Article I of the Pennsylvania Constitution!

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PENNSYLVANIA CONSTITUTIONARTICLE IDECLARATION OF RIGHTS

ART. I §0 | ARTICLE I INTRODUCTION

Adoption.

ART. I §1 | INHERENT RIGHTS OF MANKIND

ART. I §2 | POLITICAL POWERS

ART. I §3 | RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

ART. I §4 | RELIGION

ART. I §5 | ELECTIONS

ART. I §6 | TRIAL BY JURY

ART. I §7 | FREEDOM OF PRESS AND SPEECH; LIBELS

Notes

Constitutionality.

ART. I §8 | SECURITY FROM SEARCHES AND SEIZURES

ART. I §9 | RIGHTS OF ACCUSED IN CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS

Notes

1995 Amendment.

ART. I §10 | INITIATION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS; TWICE IN JEOPARDY; EMINENT DOMAIN

ART. I §11 | COURTS TO BE OPEN; SUITS AGAINST THE COMMONWEALTH

ART. I §12 | POWER OF SUSPENDING LAWS

ART. I §13 | BAIL, FINES AND PUNISHMENTS

ART. I §14 | PRISONERS TO BE BAILABLE; HABEAS CORPUS

ART. I §15 | SPECIAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNALS

ART. I §16 | INSOLVENT DEBTORS

ART. I §17 | EX POST FACTO LAWS; IMPAIRMENT OF CONTRACTS

ART. I §18 | ATTAINDER

ART. I §19 | ATTAINDER LIMITED

ART. I §20 | RIGHT OF PETITION

ART. I §21 | RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS

ART. I §22 | STANDING ARMY; MILITARY SUBORDINATE TO CIVIL POWER

ART. I §23 | QUARTERING OF TROOPS

ART. I §24 | TITLES AND OFFICES

ART. I §25 | RESERVATION OF POWERS IN PEOPLE

Notes

1967 Amendment.

ART. I §26 | NO DISCRIMINATION BY COMMONWEALTH AND ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

Notes

1967 Amendment.

ART. I §27 | NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE PUBLIC ESTATE

Amendments

1971 Amendment.

ART. I §28 | PROHIBITION AGAINST DENIAL OR ABRIDGMENT OF EQUALITY OF RIGHTS BECAUSE OF SEX

Amendments

1971 Amendment.

ART. I §29 | PROHIBITION AGAINST DENIAL OR ABRIDGMENT OF EQUALITY OF RIGHTS BECAUSE OF RACE AND ETHNICITY

Amendments

2021 Amendment.

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