Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
A Florida man, Clarence Earl Gideon, was brought to trial on a felony charge. Unable to afford his own lawyer, Gideon petitioned the state of Florida to appoint one for him. The state, however, refused on the grounds that Florida state law required the appointment of legal council only in cases of a capital offense. Gideon was then forced to represent himself in court, and was found guilty. The Supreme Court found that, because the constitution does not draw distinctions between capital and non-capital cases, the sixth amendment applied to all criminal cases, regardless of the offense, and therefore sates must respect the right of the accused to legal council.
A Florida man, Clarence Earl Gideon, was brought to trial on a felony charge. Unable to afford his own lawyer, Gideon petitioned the state of Florida to appoint one for him. The state, however, refused on the grounds that Florida state law required the appointment of legal council only in cases of a capital offense. Gideon was then forced to represent himself in court, and was found guilty. The Supreme Court found that, because the constitution does not draw distinctions between capital and non-capital cases, the sixth amendment applied to all criminal cases, regardless of the offense, and therefore sates must respect the right of the accused to legal council.