Gideon v. Wainwright

Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court.

Clarence Earl Gideon, a Florida prisoner, was charged with breaking and entering a pool hall. He asked the court to appoint a lawyer for him because he could not afford one. The court refused because Florida law only provided counsel for capital cases. Gideon represented himself and was convicted. He filed a handwritten habeas corpus petition to the Supreme Court.

Significance

Justice Black’s unanimous opinion overruled Betts v. Brady (1942) and held that the Sixth Amendment’s right to counsel is a fundamental right applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. States are required to provide counsel to criminal defendants who cannot afford their own lawyers in all felony cases. Gideon transformed the American criminal justice system, leading to the creation of public defender offices nationwide. The decision was later extended to misdemeanor cases carrying potential jail time in Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972).

Category

US Federal Case Law