Background paragraph:
Towards the mid 1900s the idea of providing counsel in criminal cases to represent defendants was not how it is in today's world. Not everyone was granted the right to an attorney. In fact the only time that the court had to appoint an attorney to represent the defendant would be if the defendant committed a capital punishment. This was huge because the 15th amendment protects against unfair treatment in the legal process. So the big deal came in that how can it be fair to not be properly represented in the court room, but yet the 15th amendment states that that is fair. This argument never gained much weight until the Gideon v. Wainwright case because during that a defendant exercised his voice and stood up for what he believed.
Significance paragraph:
Mr. Gideon was accused to petty larceny simply because of one persons opinion. Someone thought that they had saw Mr. Gideon at the time and place of the crime, so therefore he was arrested and sent to court. Knowing that he was unfairly detained, Mr. Gideon asked for an attorney because he financial unable to get one himself. The court did not grant him one and he lost the case and was sent to prison for five years. During those five years Mr. Gideon write letters to the Supreme Court explaining how his 15 amendment rights were taken away from him. Throughout this process rights were expanded because no longer could someone go through a legal process without representation.
Towards the mid 1900s the idea of providing counsel in criminal cases to represent defendants was not how it is in today's world. Not everyone was granted the right to an attorney. In fact the only time that the court had to appoint an attorney to represent the defendant would be if the defendant committed a capital punishment. This was huge because the 15th amendment protects against unfair treatment in the legal process. So the big deal came in that how can it be fair to not be properly represented in the court room, but yet the 15th amendment states that that is fair. This argument never gained much weight until the Gideon v. Wainwright case because during that a defendant exercised his voice and stood up for what he believed.
Significance paragraph:
Mr. Gideon was accused to petty larceny simply because of one persons opinion. Someone thought that they had saw Mr. Gideon at the time and place of the crime, so therefore he was arrested and sent to court. Knowing that he was unfairly detained, Mr. Gideon asked for an attorney because he financial unable to get one himself. The court did not grant him one and he lost the case and was sent to prison for five years. During those five years Mr. Gideon write letters to the Supreme Court explaining how his 15 amendment rights were taken away from him. Throughout this process rights were expanded because no longer could someone go through a legal process without representation.