Gideon v. Wainwright:
Today we take for granted that every defendant, rich or poor, will have a lawyer. But this was not always true. It took an inmate’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to ensure this right for all Americans.
Background of the Case
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution says that a person accused of a crime has the right to “the assistance of counsel [a lawyer] for his defense.” What if a defendant is too poor to afford a lawyer? In 1938, the Supreme Court had ruled that in federal trials, the government had to provide a defense lawyer for those defendants. Just four years later, however, the Supreme Court refused to apply this right to cases in state courts. The Court said each state could make its own rules.
In 1961, Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for breaking into a pool hall in Florida. Gideon could not afford a lawyer. At his trial, he asked the judge to name one for him. The judge refused. The judge was following Florida law. It required the state to provide lawyers only in death penalty cases. Since Gideon did not face the death penalty, that rule did not apply.
Gideon was not well educated and had no training in the law. He did not do a good job of defending himself at his trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison. From his cell, Gideon hand-wrote an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In it, he argued that a person’s Sixth Amendment right to an attorney should not depend on being able to afford one. The Court agreed to hear the appeal.
The Decision
In March 1963, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Gideon v.Wainwright. (Louie Wainwright was the head of Florida state prisons.) All nine justices agreed. Justice Hugo Black was the author of the Court’s decision.
“[A]ny person haled [forced] into court, who is too poor to hire a lawyer, cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided for him.”
Justice Black went on to explain how important lawyers are:
“That government hires lawyers to prosecute, and defendants who have money hire lawyers to defend are the strongest indications. . . that lawyers in criminal courts are necessities, not luxuries.”
The Court ordered that Gideon be tried again, this time with a lawyer appointed to help him. In the second trial, Gideon was acquitted.
Why It Matters
As a result of Gideon, states had to provide poor defendants with a lawyer in all cases. Robert F. Kennedy, who had been attorney general of the United States, once summed up the importance of the case. Because Clarence Earl Gideon wrote his letter to the Supreme Court, Kennedy said, “the whole course of American legal history has been changed.”
References:
http://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/ssh/book.lesson.do?bookId=3J7V8K9GB4R65JHYST6WNK6EEE&nodeId=VYS384BX44NO87JDJLP29SMWQE&edition=STUDENT
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution says that a person accused of a crime has the right to “the assistance of counsel [a lawyer] for his defense.” What if a defendant is too poor to afford a lawyer? In 1938, the Supreme Court had ruled that in federal trials, the government had to provide a defense lawyer for those defendants. Just four years later, however, the Supreme Court refused to apply this right to cases in state courts. The Court said each state could make its own rules.
In 1961, Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for breaking into a pool hall in Florida. Gideon could not afford a lawyer. At his trial, he asked the judge to name one for him. The judge refused. The judge was following Florida law. It required the state to provide lawyers only in death penalty cases. Since Gideon did not face the death penalty, that rule did not apply.
Gideon was not well educated and had no training in the law. He did not do a good job of defending himself at his trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison. From his cell, Gideon hand-wrote an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In it, he argued that a person’s Sixth Amendment right to an attorney should not depend on being able to afford one. The Court agreed to hear the appeal.
The Decision
In March 1963, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Gideon v.Wainwright. (Louie Wainwright was the head of Florida state prisons.) All nine justices agreed. Justice Hugo Black was the author of the Court’s decision.
“[A]ny person haled [forced] into court, who is too poor to hire a lawyer, cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided for him.”
Justice Black went on to explain how important lawyers are:
“That government hires lawyers to prosecute, and defendants who have money hire lawyers to defend are the strongest indications. . . that lawyers in criminal courts are necessities, not luxuries.”
The Court ordered that Gideon be tried again, this time with a lawyer appointed to help him. In the second trial, Gideon was acquitted.
Why It Matters
As a result of Gideon, states had to provide poor defendants with a lawyer in all cases. Robert F. Kennedy, who had been attorney general of the United States, once summed up the importance of the case. Because Clarence Earl Gideon wrote his letter to the Supreme Court, Kennedy said, “the whole course of American legal history has been changed.”
References:
http://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/ssh/book.lesson.do?bookId=3J7V8K9GB4R65JHYST6WNK6EEE&nodeId=VYS384BX44NO87JDJLP29SMWQE&edition=STUDENT