U.S. Constitution · Amendment VIII · ratified 1791-12-15

Excessive Bail, Excessive Fines, Cruel and Unusual Punishments

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Also known as: Excessive Bail Clause · Excessive Fines Clause · Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause

Live in the VFA record

Cited in 1 VFA SI Solution and 98 grades this month.

188 public items cite this provision · 99 in October 2026 (last month: 10)

Citations per week, last 12 weeks

The text

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

National Archives transcription (public domain; original spelling and capitalization). archives.gov

SI explainer

An explainer for this provision is in the queue. It appears here once it passes the SI Editorial Standard’s automated checks. The text, founding-era sources and live citations below are complete.

In the founders’ words

“They are nowhere restrained from inventing the most cruel and unheard-of punishments, and annexing them to crimes; and there is no constitutional check on them, but that racks and gibbets may be amongst the most mild instruments of their discipline.” Abraham Holmes, Abraham Holmes, Massachusetts Ratifying Convention, January 30, 1788 (Elliot 2:111) (1788-01-30)
“What has distinguished our ancestors?--That they would not admit of tortures, or cruel and barbarous punishment. But Congress may introduce the practice of the civil law, in preference to that of the common law. They may introduce the practice of France, Spain, and Germany--of torturing, to extort a confession of the crime.” Patrick Henry, Debate in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 16, 1788 (Elliot 3:447-52) (1788-06-16)
“But when we come to punishments, no latitude ought to be left, nor dependence put on the virtue of representatives.” Patrick Henry, Debate in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 16, 1788 (Elliot 3:447-52) (1788-06-16)
“No cruel and unusual punishment is to be inflicted; it is sometimes necessary to hang a man, villains often deserve whipping, and perhaps having their ears cut off; but are we in future to be prevented from inflicting these punishments because they are cruel?” House of Representatives, House of Representatives, Debate on Amendments, August 17, 1789 (Annals of Congress 1:754) (1789-08-17)

Public-domain primary sources, quoted word for word and checked against the linked text.

Leading Supreme Court cases

Trop v. Dulles, 356 U.S. 86 (1958)
Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972)
Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976)
United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739 (1987)
Harmelin v. Michigan, 501 U.S. 957 (1991)
Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002)
Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005)
Kennedy v. Louisiana, 554 U.S. 407 (2008)
Graham v. Florida, 560 U.S. 48 (2010)
Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. 460 (2012)
Bucklew v. Precythe, 587 U.S. 119 (2019)
Timbs v. Indiana, 586 U.S. 146 (2019)
City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, 603 U.S. 520 (2024)

Cited in the VFA record

“Where this provision is cited”

SI Solutions (4)

grades (98)

H.R. 9382: To require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to link together applications of family members throughout the NEXUS application process, and for other purposes.
2026-10-14 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 9171: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027
2026-10-14 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
H.R. 8665: Allied Defense Sales Act
2026-10-14 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 8481: Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026
2026-10-14 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
S. 5372: Kayleigh’s Law Act of 2026
2026-10-14 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
H.R. 226: Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act
2026-10-14 · Grade A (Constitutional)
Executive Order 14398: Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors
2026-10-14 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
Executive Order 14391: Adjusting Certain Delegations Under the Defense Production Act
2026-10-14 · Grade A (Constitutional)
Executive Order 14394: Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction
2026-10-14 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
Executive Order 14387: Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate- Based Herbicides
2026-10-14 · Grade C (Significant issues)
Executive Order 14414: Advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthening American Farm Resilience
2026-10-14 · Grade A (Constitutional)
Executive Order 14431: Enhancing Program Integrity and Interagency Coordination in the Administration of the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Program
2026-10-13 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
H.R. 9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
2026-10-13 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 277: Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025
2026-10-13 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
H.Con.Res. 113: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2027 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2028 through 2036.
2026-10-13 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
Executive Order 14426: Accelerating Access to Veterans' Benefits and Employment Opportunities
2026-10-13 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 492: Saving the Civil Service Act
2026-10-13 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 363: Territorial Economic Recovery Act
2026-10-13 · Grade A (Constitutional)
S.Res. 852: A resolution requesting information on Israel's human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
2026-10-13 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 2069: Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025
2026-10-11 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 1955: Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act
2026-10-11 · Grade B (Mostly sound)
H.R. 1907: Defense Against Drones Act of 2025
2026-10-11 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 2347: Survivor Justice Tax Prevention Act
2026-10-11 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 9499: Protecting Taxpayers from Ghost Preparers Act
2026-10-11 · Grade A (Constitutional)
H.R. 35: Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act
2026-10-10 · Grade D (Likely unconstitutional)

Showing the 25 most recent. All 98: JSON.

roll-call votes (86)

Senate roll call 253 (2026): On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed on H.R. 7008
2026-09-30 · Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected · official record
Senate roll call 252 (2026): On the Motion to Discharge on S.Res. 852
2026-09-29 · Motion to Discharge Rejected · official record
Senate roll call 244 (2026): On the Concurrent Resolution on H.Con.Res. 89
2026-09-24 · Concurrent Resolution Rejected · official record
Senate roll call 234 (2026): On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed on H.R. 3633
2026-09-15 · Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected · official record
House roll call 306 (2026): On Passage on H J RES 210
2026-09-15 · Passed · official record
House roll call 297 (2026): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended on H R 3276
2026-09-14 · Passed · official record
House roll call 295 (2026): On Passage on H R 4795
2026-09-03 · Passed · official record
House roll call 293 (2026): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass on H J RES 1
2026-09-02 · Failed · official record
House roll call 290 (2026): On Motion to Recommit on H R 9436
2026-09-01 · Failed · official record
House roll call 291 (2026): On Passage on H R 9436
2026-09-01 · Passed · official record
House roll call 284 (2026): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass on S 307
2026-08-31 · Passed · official record
House roll call 282 (2026): On Agreeing to the Resolution on H CON RES 89
2026-07-23 · Passed · official record
House roll call 279 (2026): On Motion to Recommit on H R 7008
2026-07-22 · Failed · official record
House roll call 280 (2026): On Passage on H R 7008
2026-07-22 · Passed · official record
House roll call 281 (2026): On Agreeing to the Resolution on H CON RES 113
2026-07-22 · Passed · official record
House roll call 249 (2026): On Motion to Recommit on H R 9237
2026-07-16 · Failed · official record
House roll call 241 (2026): On Agreeing to the Amendment on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Failed · official record
House roll call 242 (2026): On Agreeing to the Amendment on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Failed · official record
House roll call 243 (2026): On Agreeing to the Amendment on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Failed · official record
House roll call 244 (2026): On Agreeing to the Amendment on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Failed · official record
House roll call 245 (2026): On Agreeing to the Amendment on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Failed · official record
House roll call 246 (2026): On Motion to Recommit on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Failed · official record
House roll call 247 (2026): On Passage on H R 8595
2026-07-15 · Passed · official record
House roll call 227 (2026): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended on H R 2478
2026-06-25 · Passed · official record
House roll call 218 (2026): On Passage on H R 8312
2026-06-10 · Passed · official record

Showing the 25 most recent. All 86: JSON.

Roll-call votes are listed when the measure voted on has a current Constitution Index grade citing this provision. Counts include only published items.

Cite this page

Values for America Constitution Explorer, https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution (text: National Archives transcription, public domain), Amendment VIII, https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution/amendment-8

Data: this provision as JSON.