Final answer:
The correct option is A. due process.
Due process is the entitlement to fair treatment under the law, embodied in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, encompassing both procedural and substantive due process to protect individual rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The entitlement to fair treatment under the law is referred to as due process. This concept is a fundamental aspect of the legal system and constitutional law in the United States. Due process requires that the government respect the rights of individuals, ensuring that everyone receives fair treatment in legal matters. This legal requirement is outlined in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which state that no person shall be "deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."
Due process includes both procedural due process, which focuses on the steps the government must take when it acts against an individual, and substantive due process, which guarantees the fair and just treatment of an individual under the law. When a government action fails to afford these protections, it violates the principle of due process, highlighting the importance of the rule of law and the balance between government power and individual rights.