Gideon+v.+Wainright+G2

=Gideon v. Wainwright=

Overview
In 1963, the Supreme Court decision made from Gideon v. Wainwright decided that anyone who cannot afford to have a lawyer has the right to one. When the defendant, Clarence Earl Gideon, came to trial, he requested to have a lawyer. He said that the Sixth Amendment gives him the right to have a lawyer since he cannot afford one. The court denied his requested. The trial was held with a jury, and Gideon defended himself the best he could. After being found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison, he appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

Central Issue
The decision of Gideon v. Wainwright is very important. The court decided that everyone has the right to have a lawyer if they want one and cannot afford one. Thanks to Gideon, everyone has that right. Robert Kennedy said that "If an obscure Florida convict named Clarence Earl Gideon had not sat down in his prison cell . . . to write a letter to the Supreme Court . . . the vast machinery of American law would have gone on functioning undisturbed. But Gideon did write that letter, the Court did look into his case . . . and the whole course of American legal history has been changed."

Conclusion/Historical Significance
States no longer had the right to choose if someone could have a lawyer or not. If the defendant wants a lawyer and cannot pay for one, the court must provide them with a lawyer. This decision is considered one of the best decision by the Supreme Court. The decision protects the individual rights the anti-federalists wanted in the Constitution. It may be interesting to know that people did not always get a lawyer even if they were being accused of a felony or capital crime.

The Letter Clarence Earl Gideon wrote to the Supreme Court: []