Chapters 3 and 4 Summary and Analysis

The process for the Supreme Court decision is precise. A petitioner submits the request and the opposing side has thirty days to respond. After that time, a cope of the request and response - if any - are handed to each justice. The justices are required to review each though some have law clerks that write brief memorandums describing the contents of the file. Gideon's case had no reply and is forwarded to the Justices on February 8. The Chief Justice's law clerks call on the State of Florida to file a reply by April 7 to clarify the legal issues. On April 9, the reply is received - a thirteen-page document saying that Gideon did not have the right to counsel under the rules of Betts vs. Brady. Gideon receives a copy and replies on April 21, beginning with the statement that...