                 CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
                         (As amended to 1972)

                               PREAMBLE

   We, the people of the state of Michigan,  grateful to Almighty God for the 
blessings  of  freedom,  and  earnestly desiring to  secure  these  blessings 
undiminished  to  ourselves and our posterity,  do ordain and establish  this 
Constitution.

                              ARTICLE I

                        DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

Section  1.    All political power is inherent in the people.  Government  is 
instituted for their equal benefit, security and protection.

Section 2.   No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws;  nor 
shall  any person be denied the enjoyment of his civil or political rights or 
be  discriminated against in the exercise thereof because of religion,  race, 
color  or  national origin.  The legislature shall implement this section  by 
appropriate legislation.

Section 3.   The people have the right peaceably to assemble,  to consult for 
the  common  good,  to  instruct their representatives and  to  petition  the 
government for redress of grievances.

Section 4.   Every person shall be at liberty to worship God according to the 
dictates of his own conscience.  No person shall be compelled to attend,  or, 
against his consent, to contribute to the erection or support of any place of 
religious worship, or to pay tithes,  taxes or other rates for the support of 
any  minister  of  the  gospel or teacher of  religion.  No  money  shall  be 
appropriated or drawn from the treasury for the benefit of any religious sect 
or society, theological or religious seminary;  nor shall  property belonging 
to  the state be appropriated for any such purpose.  The civil and  political 
rights,  privileges  and  capacities  of  no person shall  be  diminished  or 
enlarged on account of his religious belief.

Section 5.    Every person may freely speak,  write,  express and publish his 
views on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of such right;  and no 
law  shall be enacted to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of  the 
press.

Section  6.    Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense 
of himself and the state.

Section  7.    The military shall in all cases and at all times be in  strict 
subordination to the civil power.

Section 8.    No soldier shall,  in time of peace,  be quartered in any house 
without the consent of the owner or occupant,nor in time of war,  except in a 
manner prescribed by law

Section  9.    Neither  slavery,  nor  involuntary servitude unless  for  the 
punishment of crime, shall ever be tolerated in this state.

Section  10.   No bill of attainder,  ex post facto law or law impairing  the 
obligation of contract shall be enacted.

Section 11.  The person, houses, papers and possessions of every person shall 
be  secure from unreasonable searches and seizures.  No warrant to search any 
place  or to seize any person or things shall issue without describing  them, 
nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.  The provisions 
of  this section shall not be construed to bar from evidence in any  criminal 
proceeding any narcotic drug, firearm, bomb, explosive or any other dangerous 
weapon, seized by a peace officer outside the curtilage of any dwelling house 
in this state.

Section  12.   The  privilege  of  the writ of habeas  corpus  shall  not  be 
suspended  unless  in  case of rebellion or invasion the  public  safety  may 
require it.

Section  13.   A suitor in any court of this state has the right to prosecute 
or defend his suit, either in his own proper person or by an attorney.

Section 14.  The right of trial by jury shall remain,  but shall be waived in 
all  civil  cases  unless  demanded  by one of  the  parties  in  the  manner 
prescribed  by law.  In all civil cases tried by 12 jurors a verdict shall be 
received when 10 jurors agree.

Section 15.   No person shall be subject for the same offense to be twice put 
in jeopardy. All persons shall, before conviction,  be bailable by sufficient 
sureties,  except  for  murder and treason when the proof is evident  or  the 
presumption great.

Section 16.  Excessive bail shall not be required;  excessive fines shall not 
be  imposed;  cruel or unusual punishment shall not be inflicted;  nor  shall 
witnesses be unreasonably detained.

Section  17.   No  person  shall be compelled in any criminal case  to  be  a 
witness  against  himself.  nor be deprived of  life,  liberty,  or  property 
without due process of law. The right of all individuals, firms, corporations 
and  voluntary  associations  to  fair and just treatment in  the  course  of 
legislative and executive investigations and hearings shall not be infringed.

Section  18.   No  person  shall be rendered incompetent to be a  witness  on 
account of his opinions on matters of religious belief.

Section  19.   In  all  prosecutions for libel,  the truth may  be  given  in 
evidence to the jury; and,  if it appears to the jury that the matter charged 
as  libelous is true and was published with good motives and for  justifiable 
ends, the accused shall be acquitted.

Section 20.  In every criminal prosecution,  the accused shall have the right 
to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury,  which may consist of less 
than  12 jurors in all courts not of record;  to be informed of the nature of 
the  accusation;  to  be confronted with the witnesses against him;  to  have 
compulsory  process  for  obtaining  witnesses in  his  favor;  to  have  the 
assistance  of  counsel  for his defense;  to have an appeal as a  matter  of 
right; and in courts of record, when the trial court so orders,  to have such 
reasonable assistance as may be necessary to perfect and prosecute an appeal.

Section 21.  No person shall be imprisoned for debt arising out of or founded 
on contract, express or implied, except in cases of fraud or breach of trust.

Section  22.   Treason  against the State shall consist only in  levying  war 
against it or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person 
shall  be convicted of treason unless upon the testimony of two witnesses  to 
the same overt act or on confession in open court.

Section 23.  The enumeration in this constitution of certain rights shall not 
be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
