GIDEON V. WAINWRIGHT
Year: 1963
Result: 9:0, favor Gideon
Related Constitutional issue/amendment: 6th amendment (right to counsel/fair trial)
Civil Rights or Civil Liberties: Liberties
Significance/Precedent: Overturned the Betts v. Brady ruling that courts are only required to issue a free attorney to those accused of murder or rape with insufficient money to do so on their own. Attempting to defend yourself when you are under-qualified was seen as clearly unjust and irrational.
Quote from majority opinion: "In our adversary system of criminal justice, any person haled into court, who is too poor to hire a lawyer, cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided for him. This seems to us to be an obvious truth."
6-word summary: noncapital felons get counsel; fair trial
Result: 9:0, favor Gideon
Related Constitutional issue/amendment: 6th amendment (right to counsel/fair trial)
Civil Rights or Civil Liberties: Liberties
Significance/Precedent: Overturned the Betts v. Brady ruling that courts are only required to issue a free attorney to those accused of murder or rape with insufficient money to do so on their own. Attempting to defend yourself when you are under-qualified was seen as clearly unjust and irrational.
Quote from majority opinion: "In our adversary system of criminal justice, any person haled into court, who is too poor to hire a lawyer, cannot be assured a fair trial unless counsel is provided for him. This seems to us to be an obvious truth."
6-word summary: noncapital felons get counsel; fair trial