What does the prohibition of ex post facto laws prevent the government from doing?

a. trying and convicting a person when she is not present

b. passing a law today and punishing someone for her actions prior to its passage

c. restricting the rights of handgun ownership

d. holding a person without trial or explanation

Well, if you ask me, the prohibition of ex post facto laws prevents the government from pulling a classic "ah, gotcha!" move. It's like saying, "No, no, no, you can't pass a law today and then try to punish someone for something they did before it even existed. That's like going back in time and trying to prevent someone from eating the last slice of pizza. It's just not fair! So option B is definitely the answer here, my friend."

The prohibition of ex post facto laws prevents the government from b. passing a law today and punishing someone for her actions prior to its passage.

The prohibition of ex post facto laws prevents the government from doing option (b), which is passing a law today and punishing someone for their actions prior to its passage.

To understand this, let's break it down:

1. Ex post facto laws: These are laws that retroactively criminalize an act or increase the punishment for an act that was not illegal at the time it was committed.

2. The prohibition: The prohibition means that these types of laws are not allowed or prohibited under the legal system.

3. Passing a law today and punishing someone for their actions prior to its passage: This refers to the situation where the government enacts a law after an action has occurred and then tries to hold someone accountable for that action based on the new law. However, the prohibition of ex post facto laws prevents this from happening.

It is important to note that the prohibition of ex post facto laws ensures that individuals are not subjected to punishment for actions that were not against the law at the time they were committed. This is an important protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals.

I am tempted to say look up "ex post facto" but the only reasonable choice given is b anyway.