---
title: "Gideon v. Wainwright Definition | Model Diplomat"
description: "Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) established the right to counsel for indigent defendants, impacting felony cases across the U.S. Supreme Court."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/gideon-v-wainwright"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Gideon v.
- Wainwright (1963) is the U.
- Which precedent did Gideon v. Wainwright overrule?
- What constitutional provisions did Gideon rely on?
- How did later cases extend Gideon?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Clarence Earl Gideon, whose handwritten prison petition led to a unanimous decision requiring Florida to provide him an appointed lawyer at his retrial, where he was acquitted.

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