Rights & liberties
suspect classification
A basis for government classification that triggers heightened equal protection review: race, national origin, and religion get the strictest scrutiny.
In full
Race, ancestry, and national origin are suspect and receive strict scrutiny. Sex is quasi-suspect and receives intermediate scrutiny. Most other classifications, including age and wealth, get rational basis review. Which tier applies usually determines the outcome, so litigation about the tier is often litigation about the result.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.