Gideon v. Wainwright addresses what right for defendants?

The case of Gideon v. Wainwright, decided by the Supreme Court in 1963, fundamentally established the right to legal counsel for defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford an attorney. This decision ensured that the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees the right to counsel, is applicable to state courts through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.

The ruling arose when Clarence Earl Gideon was charged with a felony in a Florida state court. He could not afford an attorney and requested that the court appoint one for him, but his request was denied based on the state law at that time, which only provided for court-appointed counsel in capital cases. Gideon represented himself at trial, which resulted in his conviction. He appealed to the Supreme Court, which unanimously held that the right to counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial.

This landmark decision means that in any criminal case where imprisonment could be imposed, the state is required to provide an attorney to defendants who cannot afford to hire one, thus reinforcing the principle of fair representation in the justice system.