1. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

2. Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for breaking into a Florida Pool Hall to commit larceny
( Bay Harbor Pool Hall)
Clarence Earl Gideon

3. At trial- Gideon requested a court appointed lawyer
(He couldn’t afford his own)
Judge refused his request
Florida only provided free counsel if your case
involved “special circumstances”
(death penalty, unusually complex, illiterate, insanity, etc.)

4. Gideon conducted his own defense
He was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison
(had previous convictions)
Verdict?????????
Raiford Prison

5. While in prison Gideon submitted a handwritten appeal

6. US Supreme Court agrees to hear his case
Abe Fortas is appointed to represent him before the SC
The Supreme Court decided
Gideon did not receive a fair trial
The SC orders a new trial this time with a lawyer
(same courtroom, same judge)
Abe Fortas
Chief Justice
Earl Warren

7. Byron White William Brennan Potter Stewart Arthur Goldberg
Tom Clark Hugo Black Earl Warren William Douglas John Harlan
(Chief Justice)
U.S. Supreme Court
(1963)

8. New trial-
Verdict??????
Found Not Guilty
Significance: Established a person’s right to a court appointed lawyer (if you can’t afford your own) to ensure a fair trial