News & Announcements
Campaign Seeks to Ensure Fair Justice for All Americans
Forty years ago, in its landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution assures prompt access to a qualified attorney for anyone who is accused of a crime—even if he or she can't afford one. The ruling affirmed under the Sixth and 14th Amendments the constitutional right to counsel, guaranteeing that every American should stand equal before the courts.
Today, however, this constitutional right is routinely disregarded. Public defense systems in many parts of the country have not made it a priority to provide competent and effective legal representation or lack the resources, standards, and independence necessary to do so.
In the year commemorating the anniversary of Gideon, the "No Exceptions" Campaign aims to remind states that anyone accused of a crime who can't afford counsel must be given a qualified attorney within 24 hours. No exceptions.
To learn more about the campaign, visit www.NoExceptions.org.
