8. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
In 1961, Clarence Earl Gideon was charged with felony burglary in Florida. Lacking the means to hire an attorney, he requested court-appointed counsel but was denied, as Florida law only provided such assistance in capital cases. Forced to represent himself, Gideon was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. From his cell, he petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court, which unanimously ruled in 1963 that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel for all criminal defendants, regardless of their financial status. This landmark decision overruled Betts v. Brady (1942) and mandated that states provide attorneys to indigent defendants, ensuring fair trials and equal protection under the law. (britannica.com)
