Gideon Day

Clarence Earl Gideon — an uneducated, 51-year-old man — told a Florida judge in 1961 that the United States Constitution guaranteed him a lawyer when the state charged him with a felony. In 1963 the US Supreme Court agreed. The Court recognized that without counsel even an intelligent and educated person may be put on trial without a proper charge, or convicted upon incompetent evidence. The court said that anyone facing criminal proceedings "requires the guiding hand of counsel at every step." Gideon v Wainwright, 372 US 335 (1963). Read the complete set of motions and oral arguments by visiting Gideon v.Wainwright Pleadings (NACDL).

New York

Gideon Day, March 6, 2007
Legal Groups Call for Indigent Defense Reforms in NY, Daily Record (NY), March 8, 2007
Lawyers, Defense Groups Call for Implementation of Recommendations of Judge Kaye's Commission on the Future of Indigent Defense, Empire Information Service (NY), March 6, 2007

Gideon Day, March 15, 2005
Public Defender Budget Cuts Criticized, Albany Times Union (NY), March 16, 2005
Public Defenders: State Needs to Increase Funds, Schenectady Gazette (NY), March 16, 2005
42nd Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, NYSDA Press Release (NY), March 15, 2005

Gideon Day, March 16, 2004
Adequate Representation Must Remain Valid, Troy Record (NY), March 23, 2004
Court-Appointed Lawyers' Pay Hike Hurting Counties, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY), March 17, 2004
Public Defender Crisis Grows With New Fees, Albany Times Union (NY), March 17, 2004

Gideon Day, March 18, 2003
In New York, the Gideon Coalition held events on March 18, 2003 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Gideon v Wainwright, 372 US 335 (1963) and to underscore continuing problems in the provision of indigent defense services.
Appointed Lawyers Seeking a Pay Raise From NY, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY), March 18, 2003
NYSBA Presses for Assigned Counsel Fee, NYSBA Press Release (NY), March 17, 2003

Client-Defender Speak Out (March 18th, 2003, Albany, NY)
In New York, the Gideon Coalition held events on March 18, 2003 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Gideon v Wainwright, 372 US 335 (1963) andto underscore continuing problems in the provision of indigent defenseservices. Appointed Lawyers Seeking a Pay Raise From NY, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY), March 18, 2003
Remarks by Park Jogger Defendant Highlight Anniversary of Gideon, New York Law Journal (NY), March 18, 2003
NYSBA Presses for Assigned Counsel Fee, NYSBA Press Release (NY), March 17, 2003
Gideon's Plea, New York Law Journal (NY), March 17, 2003 (Ray Kelly)
Gideon Inspires Debate on Counsel Fees, New York Law Journal (NY), March 17, 2003

Client-Defender Speak Out
(March 18th, 2003, Albany, NY)
video coverage


Jonathan Gradess - Welcome and Introductions



Ed Nowak - Reflections on Gideon at 40



Richard Barbuto
Private Criminal Defense Bar's Fidelity to Gideon




Richard Barbuto - Q & A



John Dunne
Lessons from the Origins of the Nassau Co. Legal Aid Society




John Dunne - Q & A



Gary Horton - On the Desire for a Client Centered Office in 2003



Gary Horton - Q & A



Tom Terrizzi
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Public Defense System



Tom Terrizzi - Q & A


Colleen Brady - View of Gideon From the Capital Crimes Unit


Colleen Brady - Q & A


Robert Massi - 32 Years Protecting Gideon in the Trenches


Myron Beldock, Yusef and Sharrone Salaam - View From Central Park


Susan Horn - Cooperation, Coordination Q & A Collabration:
Civil Q & A Criminal Lawyers for Low Income People Need All Three



Russell Neufeld - Changing Role of the Public Defender


Russell Neufeld - Q & A


Myron Beldock, Yusef and Sharrone Salaam
View From Central Park



Myron Beldock, Yusef and Sharrone Salaam - Q & A


Darryl King
Gideon From the Perspective of the Wrongfully Accused



Sammy Thomas - Suppressed Documents and a Life Sentence


Sammy Thomas - Q & A


Scott Christianson
Wrongful Convictions in New York State:
A View From the Tip of the Iceberg



Scott Christianson - Q & A


Joanne Legano Ross
On the Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
Provided to so Many in New York



Michael Coleman
On the Resources Needed
to Represent the Innocent



Angela Leverett
A Client's View of Gideon Implementation in NY



Allison Coleman - Prison Families of New York


Aaron Mysliwiec
Wonderful Adventure of Defending People
in a Neighorhood Law Office



Ray Kelly - Gideon's Penciled Petition, Long Since Erased


Ray Kelly - Q & A


Leonard Noisette
Gideon in New York: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly



Michael Whiteman - Need for Systemic Reform


Michael Whiteman - Q & A


Lisa Schreibersdorf
Indigent Defense Provider as Catalyst for Social Change



Lisa Schreibersdorf - Q & A