Gideon's Day 2023

Not so long ago, if you were unable to pay for a lawyer, and you were charged with a non-capital offense, you were forced to represent yourself.

In 1963, the landmark Supreme Court case, Gideon v. Wainwright, changed the face of the criminal legal system. Gideon ensured that anyone charged with a crime had the right to legal counsel regardless of whether they could afford it. We’ll be sharing stories from our union all week as we count down to LA County Public Defense Day on March 18!