Due process 正當程序也叫due process of law 法律的正當程序，以下是韋式詞典對其的解釋：

1: a course of formal proceedings (such as legal proceedings) carried out regularly and in accordance with established rules and principles

— called also procedural due process

2: a judicial requirement that enacted laws may not contain provisions that result in the unfair, arbitrary, or unreasonable treatment of an individual

— called also substantive due process

根據(jù)以上解釋，可以看出正當程序主要指程序上的正當法律程序（procedural due process）和實質(zhì)上的正當法律程序（substantive due process）。起初在美國，正當程序主要指程序上的正當法律程序，即個人有權按照法律法規(guī)的規(guī)定獲得公正、正當?shù)膶徟校缓髞?，在不斷的發(fā)展過程中，這一外延得以擴大，加入了實質(zhì)上的正當法律程序，即最高法院可以正當程序為由對聯(lián)邦和各州的法律的實質(zhì)性內(nèi)容進行審查。一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)某些內(nèi)容與憲法相違背的，最高法院可宣布上述內(nèi)容違憲，這其中主要涉及的是公民的生命、自由和財產(chǎn)權。

以下是其在句子中的翻譯：

Lastly, the Court ruled that slaves—as chattel or private property—could not be taken away from their owners without due process.

最后，法院判決奴隸——作為動產(chǎn)或稀有財產(chǎn)——不經(jīng)正當程序不得離開自己的主人。

The court held that exercise of personal jurisdiction must meet the requirements of due process.

法院裁定行使人參管轄權必須符合正當程序要件。

轉(zhuǎn)載自：譯問作者：旗渡法務中心