Gideon’s Trumpet
In 1961, a case appeared to the United States Supreme Court that challenged a well-accepted precedent established by the court almost 20 years prior. The case being discussed in this book is Gideon vs Wainwright, in which the defendant is a fifty-one-year-old white man in Florida. Gideon was accused of petty larceny, and eventually found guilty in court. Gideon, though, was representing himself, as he could not afford an attorney and was never provided with one. Gideon feels as though he was denied due process of law, as he simply could not afford an attorney, and therefore he was unable to effectively defend himself in court. Therefore, he files a petition to the Supreme Court, and mails his request from the Florida State …show more content…
Lewis presents all relevant facts, opinions, and events without any personal bias, as he is trying to allow the reader to accurately understand how the Supreme Court managed this case, and all of the behind-the-scenes actions that were taken in order to achieve justice. The book speaks about the 1960’s, as this is the period during and after this case, and where the most immediate consequences of the case can be acknowledged. Also, Lewis briefly touches upon some of the Court’s history, including a short time in the 1920’s. Clarence E. Gideon felt that his treatment by the Court violated the 14th Amendment, which he believed allowed him to be provided with an attorney. Gideon was seemingly lucky, since around the time he filed his petition, some of the Justices were already previously thinking about the issue of whether or not a defendant is guaranteed legal counsel. Therefore, when Gideon’s case was reviewed, it fell perfectly into the current mindset of many justices, and was much more likely to be accepted, as it, of course,
In 1961, a case appeared to the United States Supreme Court that challenged a well-accepted precedent established by the court almost 20 years prior. The case being discussed in this book is Gideon vs Wainwright, in which the defendant is a fifty-one-year-old white man in Florida. Gideon was accused of petty larceny, and eventually found guilty in court. Gideon, though, was representing himself, as he could not afford an attorney and was never provided with one. Gideon feels as though he was denied due process of law, as he simply could not afford an attorney, and therefore he was unable to effectively defend himself in court. Therefore, he files a petition to the Supreme Court, and mails his request from the Florida State …show more content…
Lewis presents all relevant facts, opinions, and events without any personal bias, as he is trying to allow the reader to accurately understand how the Supreme Court managed this case, and all of the behind-the-scenes actions that were taken in order to achieve justice. The book speaks about the 1960’s, as this is the period during and after this case, and where the most immediate consequences of the case can be acknowledged. Also, Lewis briefly touches upon some of the Court’s history, including a short time in the 1920’s. Clarence E. Gideon felt that his treatment by the Court violated the 14th Amendment, which he believed allowed him to be provided with an attorney. Gideon was seemingly lucky, since around the time he filed his petition, some of the Justices were already previously thinking about the issue of whether or not a defendant is guaranteed legal counsel. Therefore, when Gideon’s case was reviewed, it fell perfectly into the current mindset of many justices, and was much more likely to be accepted, as it, of course,