Gideon v. Wainwright Establishes Defendants’ Right to an Attorney
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History II: Human Rights Series
- Categories: Social Issues, Reform, and Protest, Law, Legal History, Courts
- Subcategories: Civil Rights, Minority Rights, Minorities, Court Cases, Rulings, Appeals, Trials, Judges, Lawyers, Supreme Court, U.S., Human Rights
- Curriculum: American History 1951-present
- Geographical Location: Washington. D.C.
- Date: March 18, 1963
Article abstract: The Supreme Court’s decision in Gideon v. Wainwright held that the Sixth Amendment s right-to-counsel provision required free provision of a lawyer to any defendant in a slate criminal trial who could not afford an attorney.
Summary of Event
The evidence is convincing that the provision in the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing that “the accused . . . in all criminal prosecutions shall enjoy the right . . . to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense” meant, at the time of its adoption, no more than the...
[The entire page is 2678 words long]
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