What does substantive due process ensure?

Substantive due process is a constitutional doctrine that protects individuals from government actions that are arbitrary or unreasonable, ensuring that certain fundamental rights are recognized and upheld. Option A reflects this foundation by emphasizing the importance of fair and consistent enforcement of the law. It ensures that laws not only follow proper procedures but also do not violate an individual's fundamental rights. This means that laws must be just and serve a legitimate governmental interest that aligns with the principles of liberty and justice.

The other options, while important rights in the legal context, do not encompass the core purpose of substantive due process. The right to legal counsel, protection against self-incrimination, and the right to a public trial are procedural protections that relate to ensuring fairness in legal proceedings, rather than focusing on the substance of laws or ensuring fundamental rights against government infringement. Substantive due process goes deeper into the rights that individuals possess and guarantees that they cannot be deprived of these rights without sufficient justification.