According to United States Court, Clarence Earl Gideon was an undereducated man in Florida, who only went to schools for 8 years, because he escaped from home when he was in middle school. After that, he always went into the prisons with nonviolent crimes. However, he was a criminal to commit a misdemeanor in Panama City in 1963. At trial in Bay County Circuit Court, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Gideon went to the court without a lawyer. Because he did not have enough money to hire an attorney by himself, he asked the judge to appoint one for him. The trial judge refused, based on Florida’s law, only poor defendants in capital offenses could have an appointed counsel. Although Gideon did not have a lawyer at trial, he tried his best
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As a result, the Court made an unanimous decision that they agreed to overrule the case of Betts v. Brady on March 18, 1963. The case of Betts was reversed and remanded in the end (United States Court). They also issued the decision in Gideon v. Wainwright by holding that the criminals had the right to hire a counsel in state courts when they were facing serious criminal trials, even if they were too poor to afford one. The Due Process also guaranteed a lawyer for any criminal being for a serious crime in order to maintain justice (The United States Department of Justice). Therefore, their decision did not break the 14th Amendment, but it followed the 6th Amendment. At last, with the help of a local lawyer, Gideon was not guilty for any …show more content…
Wainwright is a landmark in the history of the Supreme Court of the United States. Time passes by quickly, but the legal assistance for all defendants becomes way more effective, which is crucial to keep the justice and fairness at trial. According to the United States Department of Justice, to show their respect to Gideon, on the 50th anniversary of Gideon in 2013, the Justice Department of the United States emphasized the importance and existence of the highest standards in criminal process. After the case of Gideon, the right to have an appointed counsel can also be used in cases of misdemeanor and juvenile. Nowadays, states establish various systems to provide defense for poor criminals. For example, in the appointment systems, the localities would hire private attorneys to represent needy defendants at trial (The United States Department of
As a result, the Court made an unanimous decision that they agreed to overrule the case of Betts v. Brady on March 18, 1963. The case of Betts was reversed and remanded in the end (United States Court). They also issued the decision in Gideon v. Wainwright by holding that the criminals had the right to hire a counsel in state courts when they were facing serious criminal trials, even if they were too poor to afford one. The Due Process also guaranteed a lawyer for any criminal being for a serious crime in order to maintain justice (The United States Department of Justice). Therefore, their decision did not break the 14th Amendment, but it followed the 6th Amendment. At last, with the help of a local lawyer, Gideon was not guilty for any …show more content…
Wainwright is a landmark in the history of the Supreme Court of the United States. Time passes by quickly, but the legal assistance for all defendants becomes way more effective, which is crucial to keep the justice and fairness at trial. According to the United States Department of Justice, to show their respect to Gideon, on the 50th anniversary of Gideon in 2013, the Justice Department of the United States emphasized the importance and existence of the highest standards in criminal process. After the case of Gideon, the right to have an appointed counsel can also be used in cases of misdemeanor and juvenile. Nowadays, states establish various systems to provide defense for poor criminals. For example, in the appointment systems, the localities would hire private attorneys to represent needy defendants at trial (The United States Department of