What does "due process" guarantee?

The concept of "due process" primarily ensures that individuals receive fair treatment through the judicial system. It is a legal principle that protects individuals from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property, and is enshrined in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Due process guarantees that legal proceedings will be conducted fairly and that individuals will be given notice and an opportunity to be heard before any legal action is taken against them. This encompasses various rights, including the right to a fair trial, but is fundamentally about the overall fairness and integrity of the legal process.

While the other options touch on important legal rights, they are more specific aspects or extensions of the broader right to due process. For example, access to legal counsel and the right to a speedy trial are both components of ensuring a fair judicial process but do not encompass the complete scope of what due process guarantees. Therefore, the guarantee of fair treatment through the judicial system stands as the most comprehensive interpretation of what due process ensures.