What does the Ninth Amendment state regarding rights?

The Ninth Amendment states that the enumeration of specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that individuals do not possess other rights that are not explicitly listed. This amendment serves as a reminder that the people have rights beyond those specifically mentioned, thereby protecting unenumerated rights. This is significant because it emphasizes that the absence of a right in the Constitution does not imply that it does not exist or should not be respected.

The intent behind the Ninth Amendment is to ensure that certain fundamental rights that people inherently possess cannot be violated simply because they are not detailed in the constitutional text. This principle reinforces the concept that civil liberties are broad and that individuals are entitled to rights beyond those explicitly outlined, maintaining a check on governmental power to infringe upon personal freedoms.