Pleading the Sixth: In America, the indigent accused has a constitutional right to be represented by an effective lawyer at all critical stages of a case where loss of liberty is a potential penalty. But what if that lawyer is…
Tag: United States v. Cronic
A Cronic resolve to America’s chronic right to counsel deficiencies
Pleading the Sixth: On September 28, 2016, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that indigent defendants have a right to challenge systemic deficiencies at the outset of a case before having to suffer from actual or constructive denial of counsel. [Click…
US DOJ enters Statement of Interest in NYCLU class action lawsuit
Pleading the Sixth: The U.S. Department of Justice entered a Statement of Interest in a class action lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union alleging egregious Sixth Amendment violations in that state. Importantly, the Statement denotes DOJ’s position…
Michigan Court of Appeals allows class action lawsuit to proceed
Pleading the Sixth: On April 3, 2013, the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s ruling denying the state’s motion to dismiss the American Civil Liberties Union’s class action lawsuit alleging systemic deficiencies to the delivery of constitutionally mandated…
Williamson County TX settles “no counsel court” lawsuit
Pleading the Sixth: Williamson County, Texas settled a class action lawsuit alleging that judges engaged in a “systematic and deliberate scheme” to deprive “persons accused of misdemeanor offenses of their right to be represented by counsel.” By agreeing to set…
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