Introduction to the Special Collection on the Intersection of Families and the Law

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Introduction to the Special Collection on the Intersection of Families and the Law*

In the U. S., citizens' rights are rooted in the founding documents of American democracy, the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence. These documents protect citizens' individual rights against unwarranted government intrusion. As suggested by Williamson (1997), the Constitution protects citizens' rights through the application of four basic principles of America's democracy:

* Equality of Rights: Recognition and implementation in our public and private lives that all people are created equal and should be treated equally by the American government; equality of …