Legal Question in Criminal Law in District of Columbia

Re: Constitutional Provisions

State legislatures do not enact any laws which declare citizens or anyone else guilty of crimes.

The do, however, pass laws which statutorily define what a given crime may be and the possible penalties for commiting such a crime which might also include a forfeiture of property owned by one who was convicted of the crime and which was found to have been used or somehow involved in the commission of the crime of which the owner was convicted.

The above activities conducted by state legislatures are all perfectly legal and in no way violative of any provision of the U.S. Constitution.

Re: Constitutional Provisions

I believe you are referring to a "bill of attainder," which is an unlawful form of legislation which pertains to and targets a particular individual. I believe there is a prohibition in the United States Const'n, Art. 1, Sec 9.