Case Study: Gideon V. Wainwright

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Pages: 2

Title: Gideon v Wainwright 372 U.S. 335 (1963)
Facts: In Florida, Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested and charged for breaking and entering into a pool room. At trial, Gideon did not have a lawyer, because in Florida at this time, only those charged with a capitol offense were given free representation. As a result, Gideon tried to defend himself in court, but he was uneducated and failed. Gideon on his own then filed for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme court and ir was reviewed. At the supreme court, Gideon was represented by Abe Fortas who argued that Gideon’s fourteenth amendment was violated as this amendment is in place to ensure that all defendants have representation in court, and that many states had provisions in place that made