Analytical essay discussing merits of the gideon vs wainwright case and how affected society, Analytical essay discussing merits of the gideon vs wainwright case and how affected society
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Gideon vs. Wainwright Case
The whole common sense behind this and other Court rulings in the 1960s was the belief that the use of constitutional rights shouldn’t depend on a person’s wealth or education. Furthermore, the most important principle from this trial, is proof of the dominance of the federal government over the states. As the years passed, the Court opened up the criminal justice system, made it more democratic, and permitted even people accused of crimes to share fully in what the Constitution promised to all Americans, basic liberties to ensure that they received a fair trial. Both the fourteenth and sixth amendment were violated according to Clarence Gideon when he was tried in court the first time after he was denied the right to be represented decently by an attorney. This case also shows both the importance of having a lawyer and the key role of the courts in providing counsel. This Supreme court decision affected history and is still a major part of the legal system today. Overall, the Supreme Court’s decisions have had major impacts on the way we live. If the Supreme Court hadn’t made this decision, then no one else would have bothered or been able to convince people to change their behavior. The Courts ability of judicial review and the courts control of the way the laws are carried out have molded the society to what it is today.…
Analytical essay discussing merits of the gideon vs wainwright case and how affected society
Gideon vs. Wainright
In June 1961, Clarence Earl Gideon, a fifty-year-old man, with a prior arrest record, was arrested in Panama City, Florida. He was charged with breaking into a pool hall. The things that were stolen were beer, coke, and change from a cigarette machine. Gideon claimed innocence. When his trial began he asked the court for court appointed counsel. He was denied the right because the state law only permits counsel in capital cases and for «indigent» defendants.
The trial continued. Gideon conducted his own defense his effort however, were ineffective. He did the best he could for someone who had no knowledge or experience. He made an opening statement to the jury, cross-examined the State’s witnesses, presented witnesses in his own defense, declined to testify himself, and made a short argument «emphasizing his innocence to the charge contained in the information filed in this case.» The jury the jury convicted Gideon and sent him to prison for five years. While in prison, Gideon studied law books. Gideon filed petion for Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court. Gideon’s petion was denied. Gideon then appealed to the United States Supreme Court in forma pauperis. The Supreme Court selected his case to be considered.
In the case, Betts vs. Brady Maryland farm worker Smith Betts asked for the court appointed counsel to his defense. The judge denied his request because the country that has in doesn’t appoint poor defendants only in a capital case. Betts was sentenced to eight years in prison, Betts sent an appeal to the Supreme Court, but again the court ruled against Betts. The reason why is because «In the great majority of states, it has been the considered judgment of the people their representative, and their courts that the appointment of counsel is not a trial.» (Goodman 64) With that statement in mind, Gideon’s case was issued with just reason. Twenty-two States, as friends of t.
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Gideon v. Wainwright
Gideon v. Wainwright was argued on January 15, 1963 and decided on March 18, 1963.
Facts of Gideon v. Wainwright
Clarence Earl Gideon was accused of stealing from the Bay Harbor Pool Room in Panama City, Florida on June 3, 1961. When he asked for a court appointed counsel, he was denied this because according to Florida law, court appointed counsel was only provided in the case of a capital offense. He represented himself, was found guilty, and was sent to prison for five years.
Fast Facts: Gideon v. Wainwright
- Case Argued: Jan. 15, 1963
- Decision Issued: March 18, 1963
- Petitioner: Clarence Earl Gideon
- Respondent: Louie L. Wainwright, Director, Division of Corrections
- Key Question: Does the Sixth Amendment’s right to counsel in criminal cases extend to felony defendants in state courts?
- Majority Decision: Justices Black, buy essay online Warren, Brennan, Stewart, White, Goldberg, Clark, Harlan, Douglas
- Dissenting: None
- Ruling: The Supreme Court ruled that under the Sixth Amendment, states must provide an attorney to any defendants in criminal cases who are unable to afford their own attorneys.
While in prison, Gideon studied in the library and prepared a handwritten Writ of Certiorari that he sent to the United States Supreme Court claiming that he had been denied his Sixth Amendment right to an attorney:
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense. (Italics Added)
The Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Earl Warren agreed to hear the case. They assigned Gideon a future Supreme Court justice, Abe Fortas, to be his attorney. Fortas was a prominent Washington DC attorney. He successfully argued Gideon’s case, and the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Gideon’s favor. It sent his case back to Florida to be retried with benefit of a public attorney.
Five months after the Supreme Court ruling, Gideon was retried. During the retrial, his attorney, W. Fred Turner, was able to show that the chief witness against Gideon was possibly one of the lookouts for the burglary itself. After only one hour’s deliberation, the jury found Gideon not guilty. This historic ruling was immortalized in 1980 when Henry Fonda took on the role of Clarence Earl Gideon in the movie «Gideon’s Trumpet.» Abe Fortas was portrayed by José Ferrer and Chief Justice Earl Warren was played by John Houseman.
Significance of Gideon v. Wainwright
Gideon v. Wainwright overruled the previous decision of Betts v. Brady (1942). In this case, Smith Betts, a farm worker in Maryland had asked for counsel to represent him for a robbery case. Just as with Gideon, this right was denied him because the state of Maryland would not provide attorneys except in capital case. The Supreme Court decided by a 6-3 decision that a right to an appointed counsel was not required in all cases in order for an individual to receive a fair trial and due process in state trials. It was basically left up to each state to decide when it would provide public counsel.
Justice Hugo Black dissented and wrote the opinion that if you were indigent you had an increased chance of conviction. In Gideon, the court stated that the right to an attorney was a fundamental right for a fair trial. They stated that due to the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, all states would be required to provide counsel in criminal cases. This significant case created the need for additional public defenders. Programs were developed in states around the country to help recruit and train public defenders. Today, the number of cases defended by public defenders is huge. For example, in 2011 in Miami Dade County, the largest of the 20 Florida Circuit Courts, approximately 100,000 cases were assigned to Public Defenders.
The Case of Gideon vs. Wainwright Analytical Essay
This paper first relates that, from a prison cell in Florida, written in pencil, Clarence Gideon, with an eight-grade education and without a legal knowledge base, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case. Next, the author describes Gideon’s crime, court proceedings, petition and his insistence on justice under the law. The paper underscores that this case, «Gideon vs. Wainwright», guarantees that proper legal representation for the defendant, regardless of wealth, privilege or education, is fundamental to a fair justice system.
From the Paper:
«While serving out the five-year prison sentence, Gideon began to study the legal system and concluded that Judge Robert McCrary’s denial of legal assistance violated rights granted by the constitution. Gideon submitted a petition to the local FBI office and the Florida Supreme Court, requesting immediate release, citing writ of habeas corpus. Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, a mandate that requires prisoners to be brought before the court to determine if the government has cause for detainment.»
Facts and Case Summary – Gideon v. Wainwright
Clarence Earl Gideon was an unlikely hero. He was a man with an eighth-grade education who ran away from home when he was in middle school. He spent much of his early adult life as a drifter, essay online buy spending time in and out of prisons for nonviolent crimes.
Gideon was charged with breaking and entering with the intent to commit a misdemeanor, which is a felony under Florida law. At trial, Gideon appeared in court without an attorney. In open court, he asked the judge to appoint counsel for him because he could not afford an attorney. The trial judge denied Gideon’s request because Florida law only permitted appointment of counsel for poor defendants charged with capital offenses.
At trial, Gideon represented himself – he made an opening statement to the jury, cross-examined the prosecution’s witnesses, presented witnesses in his own defense, declined to testify himself, and made arguments emphasizing his innocence. Despite his efforts, the jury found Gideon guilty and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment.
Gideon sought relief from his conviction by filing a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the Florida Supreme Court. In his petition, Gideon challenged his conviction and sentence on the ground that the trial judge’s refusal to appoint counsel violated Gideon’s constitutional rights. The Florida Supreme Court denied Gideon’s petition.
Gideon next filed a handwritten petition in the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court agreed to hear the case to resolve the question of whether the right to counsel guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution applies to defendants in state court.
Procedure:
Lower Courts: Bay County Circuit Court, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of FloridaLower Court Ruling: The trial judge denied Gideon’s request for a court-appointed attorney because, under Florida law, counsel could only be appointed for a poor defendant charged with a capital offense. The Florida Supreme Court agreed with the trial court and denied all relief.
Issue:
A prior decision of the Court’s, Betts v. Brady, 316 U.S. 455 (1942), held that the refusal to appoint counsel for an indigent defendant charged with a felony in state court did not necessarily violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court granted Gideon’s petition for a writ of certiorari – that is, agreed to hear Gideon’s case and review the decision of the lower court – in order to determine whether Betts should be reconsidered.
Ruling:
Reversed and remanded. In its opinion, the Court unanimously overruled Betts v. Brady.
Argued: January 15, 1963
Decided: March 18, 1963
Unanimous Decision: Justice Black (who dissented in Betts) wrote the opinion of the court. Justices Douglas, Clark, and Harlan each wrote concurring opinions.
Reasoning:
The Court held that the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial and, as such, applies the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In overturning Betts, Justice Black stated that «reason and reflection require us to recognize that 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.» He further wrote that the «noble ideal» of «fair trials before impartial tribunals in which ever defendant stands equal before the law . . . cannot be realized if the poor man charged with crime has to face his accusers without a lawyer to assist him.»
DISCLAIMER: These resources are created by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for educational purposes only. They may not reflect the current state of the law, and are not intended to provide legal advice, guidance on litigation, or commentary on any pending case or legislation.
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