1Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the United States Supreme
2Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright that affirmed the
3right to counsel in criminal cases.

4WHEREAS, March 18, 2013, marked the 50th anniversary of the
5landmark legal decision of the United States Supreme Court in
6Gideon v. Wainwright; and

7WHEREAS, The important decision announced that the right to
8counsel in criminal cases as provided by the Sixth Amendment to
9the Constitution of the United States was a fundamental right
10and that it applied to the states through the Fourteenth
11Amendment of the Constitution of the United States; and

12WHEREAS, The decision and the story concerning it were
13memorialized in the book by Anthony Lewis entitled Gideon's 
14Trumpet which has been listed as required reading for some first
15year law students, and the book was later depicted in a film of
16the same name starring Henry Fonda; and

17WHEREAS, The impact of that historic judicial decision was
18the creation and expansion of the public defender system in the

1United States for the representation of indigent offenders in
2criminal cases; and

3WHEREAS, The importance of the public defender system in this
4Commonwealth and indigent defense was the subject of a Joint
5State Government Commission Report issued in December 2011 that
6was established by Senate Resolution 42 of 2007; therefore be it

7RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the 50th anniversary of
8the United States Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright 
9that affirmed the right to counsel in criminal cases; and be it 
10further

11RESOLVED, That the Commonwealth recognize the essential work
12of the men and women who provide this fundamental service in the
13criminal justice system.