United States Supreme Court cases are argued and decided on Constitutional grounds. All arguments and decisions are based on interpretations of the original Constitution and, more often, on Constitutional amendments. GIDEON v. WAINWRIGHT In June 1961, Clarence Gideon was arrested and charged with breaking and entering in Bay Harbor. He was tried in a Florida Circuit Court in August 1961. Gideon stated in Court that he was unable to afford a lawyer and asked the Judge to …showed first 75 words of 669 total…

…showed last 75 words of 669 total…right to counsel. Granting review, the Court ordered counsel to discuss: “should this Court’s holding in Betts v. Brady be reconsidered?” Then the Court appointed to represent Gideon, who had had no lawyer at his trial, one of the best lawyers in Washington, ABE FORTAS. On March 18, 1963, the Court overruled Betts v. Brady. Justice HUGO L. BLACK, who had dissented in Betts, wrote the opinion of the Court: a rare vindication of past dissent.