Sixty years After Gideon v. Wainwright, there still a need to bridge the gap in access to justice

 This year marks six decades since the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Gideon v. Wainwright, in which the Supreme Court held that states must provide counsel to people who cannot afford an attorney in criminal cases.  The principle was later extended to cover misdemeanor charges and delinquency proceedings.  Yet, as discussed in a recently published short article in The Hill, there is no question that access to public defense in the United States remains elusive and unequal.  You should read the article here.

Sadly, this is not the first time I post this exact same sentiment.  Ten years ago the same issue was discussed in various articles "celebrating" the 50th anniversary of the decision in Gideon.  I posted comments here, and here.