Answer:
Clarence Earl Gideon was a career criminal whose actions helped change the American legal system. Accused of committing a robbery, Gideon was too poor to hire a lawyer to represent him in court. After he was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison, Gideon took his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a landmark legal decision, Gideon v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court ruled that under the U.S. Constitution, state courts are required to appoint lawyers for those individuals accused of committing a crime who cannot pay for legal representation.
Explanation:
Because of Gideon's efforts, thousands of individuals who had been tried and convicted without legal representation were granted new trials or released from Florida prisons. Over time, the right to legal representation for impoverished individuals has been extended to include juvenile offenders and adults who commit misdemeanors.
When Clarence Earl Gideon picked up a pencil to write his petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, he set a series of events in motion that changed the nation's legal system, proving that sometimes one person can make an important difference.
