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Exploring key amendments of the U.S. Constitution, this overview highlights landmark Supreme Court cases like Gideon v. Wainwright, which secured the right to legal counsel, and others that defined civil liberties, such as the right to jury trials, protection against excessive punishments, recognition of unenumerated rights, and the affirmation of state sovereignty.
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The Supreme Court unanimously held that the Sixth Amendment guarantees defendants the right to counsel in criminal prosecutions and that states are required to provide attorneys to defendants who cannot afford one
Access to Legal Assistance
The decision reinforced the principle that access to legal assistance is a fundamental right integral to the fairness of the judicial process
The case ensured that justice is not solely the privilege of those who can afford to pay for their defense
The Seventh Amendment preserves the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases and prevents courts from re-examining a jury's findings of fact
Jury Size
The Supreme Court's interpretation in Colgrove v. Battin confirmed that a jury of six members is constitutionally sufficient
Unlike many other constitutional rights, the Seventh Amendment has not been fully incorporated against the states
The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments, including the methods of execution and the proportionality of sentences
Furman v. Georgia
In Furman v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty, as administered at the time, was unconstitutional, leading to a de facto moratorium on capital punishment
Gregg v. Georgia
The Gregg v. Georgia decision in 1976 allowed for the resumption of the death penalty under revised procedures
The Eighth Amendment also extends to the treatment of prisoners, ensuring that certain conditions of confinement do not violate the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment
The Ninth Amendment acknowledges that the rights of the people are not limited to those expressly mentioned in the Constitution and serves as a basis for protecting liberties that are deemed fundamental
In Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court recognized a right to privacy in marital relations, leading to the invalidation of a state law prohibiting the use of contraceptives
The Ninth Amendment has been cited in various Supreme Court decisions, including those concerning the right to an abortion, as a basis for protecting liberties that are not explicitly outlined in the Constitution
The Tenth Amendment emphasizes the federalist structure of the United States, delineating the scope of federal and state powers and preserving the balance of power within the federal system
The Tenth Amendment underscores the importance of state sovereignty and local self-government, ensuring that states have the authority to manage affairs not expressly the purview of the federal government
The Tenth Amendment serves as a bulwark against overreach by the federal government, preserving the balance of power within the federal system
00
In the case of ______ v. Wainwright, the ______ ______ ______ ruled in 1963 on the right to legal representation.
Gideon
United States
Supreme Court
01
Under the ______ Amendment, states must provide lawyers to those charged with felonies who cannot afford one.
Fourteenth
02
The Gideon v. Wainwright decision emphasized that legal aid is a basic right crucial for the ______ of the judicial system.
fairness
