March 18, 1963 - Supreme Court Requires Free Counsel for Indigent Criminal Defendants
The Supreme Court hands down its ruling in Gideon v. Wainwright, holding that an indigent criminal defendant's right to assistance of counsel is fundamental to a fair trial, and that Clarence Earl Gideon's trial and conviction without the assistance of counsel violated the Fourteenth Amendment. Writing for a unanimous Court, Justice Hugo Black declares that "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." Gideon had been charged with a felony for breaking and entering in Florida, and was forced to defend himself after being denied free counsel by the state.
Related resources:
- Audio: Are Lawyers Necessary in all Cases?(Justice Talking)
- Gideon v. Wainwright (FindLaw)
- Your Rights: The Right to Counsel (FindLaw)
- Fourteenth Amendment (Justice Learning)
