Paper Summary:

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."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Lewis, A. (1964) Gideons Trumpet. New York: Random House.
• Street Law, Inc. and the Supreme Court Historical Society. (2010) Landmark Cases of the U.S. Supreme Court. Retrieved on June 5, 2010, from: http://www.streetlaw.org//en/Page.Landmark.Gideon.background.three.aspx.

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