Justice Department Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright

The Justice Department today commemorates the 60th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark Supreme Court decision which held that the assistance of counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial, and that the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments require states to appoint attorneys for defendants who cannot afford to retain counsel on their own. The Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) is leading this effort by elevating the right to counsel and the importance of public defenders throughout the month of March.