Have you ever seen a policeman speeding on the highway without his lights on? Have you heard rumors of conspiracies by politicians that were squelched before they ever reached the court house? Have you heard of a celebrity acquitted from a DUI because of her status? While there may be instances that slip through the cracks, constitutionally no one is above the law. Our founding fathers did not discriminate with sentences based on a person's social status or platform. Instead, the older generations figured that well-known individuals who were convicted of a crime should serve as an example to the public of what can happen when you make poor choices.
Even the President of the United States is not exempt from the laws that govern our country. That is why the US government is set up with a system of checks and balances which are delicately distributed to the judicial, legislative, and executive branches. That way, if a president chooses an unacceptable option or makes a serious mistake, there are other people in power who have the ability to impeach him. To be honest, there are times that the judges and courts in America will loosen sentences for people of importance. Celebrities who are convicted of DUIs or other minor charges may get off with a community service sentence and a hefty fine, instead of being forced to spend time in jail. That does not mean that these prominent persons will get off free.
Police officers are sometimes exempt from minor offenses like speeding or other traffic laws. Most of the time, the law enforcement is only allowed to exercise these exemptions when they are chasing down a criminal or rushing to a crime scene. A police officer who drives in a reckless manner and abuses his right to speed or swerve may be stripped of his position. One of the only instances where someone may be considered "above the law" is in a case of diplomatic immunity. This special condition is placed on government officials when they are travelling to different countries. It guarantees that the diplomats are given safe passage to their destination and are not caught up in a lawsuit or prosecution. Diplomatic immunity only applies to the officials when they are in a host country.
Diplomatic immunity is a customary law that allows officials to maintain relations with other countries, even in the midst of a conflict. If the diplomat has committed a serious crime that is disconnected to their profession, then that person's home country can choose to waive the immunity. Yet many actions which would be considered illegal, such as spying, are legal under diplomatic immunity. Government workers can spy on others and do other things connected with their profession with no fear of being thrown in jail.
However, even those with diplomatic immunity aren't completely free to do whatever they want. According to one source, a diplomat who flouts local laws may still end up with serious consequences, both internally and externally. Countries have the right to expel a person who has flagrantly violated their laws. This can be damaging, especially if violating the laws creates a division between two countries. In the past, cases of espionage, murder, smuggling, and child custody have created serious issues with the diplomatic immunity rights.
Also, diplomatic immunity raises issues with traffic laws, such as double parking. In some cases, countries have determined that men and women who have diplomatic immunity but park illegally can have their cars impounded, rather than being ticketed for the offense. According to Forbes magazine, some diplomats have incurred as many as 245 parking tickets when visiting the US. In the end, no one is actually above the law. While there may be exceptions concerning what laws apply to certain groups in certain situations, everyone has the equal right to be prosecuted for actions that are not legal.
