Among the most famous court decisions ever made, Gideon v. Wainwright because it established a criminal defendant’s right to have an attorney even if they personally cannot. In this famous Supreme Court case, the Court unanimously ruled that because of the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, states must provide an attorney to defendants who are unable to afford attorneys.
The case concerned a theft in which the accused was denied the right to a lawyer because he was unable to pay a lawyer. After being charged with theft, Gideon (the person accused) came to the courthouse too poor to pay attorney fees. Here are the ones:
The case concerned a theft in which the accused was denied the right to a lawyer because he was unable to pay a lawyer. After being charged with theft, Gideon (the person accused) came to the courthouse too poor to pay attorney fees. Here are the ones:
COURT: Mr. Gideon, I’m sorry but I cannot appoint a lawyer to represent you in this case. Under Florida State law, the only time a court can appoint an attorney to represent a defendant is when that person is sentenced to death. I’m sorry, but I will have to decline your request to appoint an attorney to defend you in this case.
GIDEON: The United States Supreme Court says I have the right to be represented by a lawyer.
Florida court refused to appoint a lawyer for Gideon. As a result, he was forced to act as his own attorney and defend himself in court, emphasizing his innocence in the case. At the end of the trial, the jury found guilty. The court sentenced Gideon to five years in state prison.
After his conviction, Gideon appealed to the United States Supreme Court that his Sixth Amendment rights had been violated. In the end, the Supreme Court ruled that defendants who could not afford lawyers should be provided with lawyers, and as a result of this decision, more than 2,000 previously convicted individuals were released from Florida prisons. Today, poor prisoners are appointed as lawyers for their fair trial in court.
