Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Clarence Earl Gideon was charged with felony breaking and entering in Florida. He requested a court-appointed lawyer but was denied under state law. Forced to represent himself, he was convicted. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Sixth Amendment right to counsel applies to the states through the 14th Amendment.

3) Why It Mattered
This landmark case guaranteed that indigent defendants in criminal cases have the right to free legal counsel. It transformed the criminal justice system and expanded procedural fairness.

4) What It Provided or Took Away

• Provided: A constitutional right to court-appointed counsel in felony cases.
• Took Away: States’ ability to deny lawyers to poor defendants.

5) Overreach or Proper Role?
This was a proper exercise of judicial duty to enforce fundamental rights. It ensured fairness in criminal trials and reinforced incorporation doctrine.

6) Plain-English Impact Today
If you are accused of a serious crime and cannot afford a lawyer, the state must provide one for you. This principle underlies today’s system of public defenders.

• Sixth Amendment
• Right to Counsel
• Incorporation
• Criminal Procedure