Other Landmark
Supreme Court Cases
Gideon v. Wainwright, Miranda v. Arizona, Tinker v. Des
Moines, New Jersey v. TLO
Gideon V. Wainright (1963)
• In Florida in 1961, Clarence Earl
Gideon was found guilty of
breaking and entering.
• He was sentenced to 5 years in
prison.
• Gideon appealed the case citing
that he was denied counsel
guaranteed in the Constitution.
• Where in the Constitution does it
explain this right to counsel?
• The SCOTUS heard the case and
granted Gideon a new trial.
• With a court appointed public
defender, Gideon was found not
guilty.
• The “Gideon Rule” upheld the 6th
Amendment guarantee of
counsel of all poor persons facing
a felony.
Other Cases
• Miranda V. Arizona
• Miranda arrested without being
informed of his rights
• The case upheld a citizens rights to
fair trials by ensuring that people
know their rights.
• Tinker v. Des Moines High School
District
• Wearing black arm bands to protest
Vietnam.
• Students can exercise free speech if it
does not disrupt classwork, create
disorder, or interfere with the rights of
others.
• New Jersey v. TLO
• A high school student was searched
and arrested for drugs. She appealed
citing the 4th Amendment.
• 4th Amendment rights are eased in a
school setting and searches only
require reasonable suspicion and not
probable cause.
The U.S. Court System
• There are two separate court
systems in the United States
(The Dual Court Sytem)
• The national judiciary
• The state court systems
• There are two types of federal
courts.
• The U.S. Supreme Court
• The lower federal courts
• Federal Courts have
jurisdiction over most federal
cases.
• Most cases in the U.S. are
heard in state and local
courts.
The Appellate Process
• Courts with original
jurisdiction
• Courts that hear cases
first
• Courts with appellate
jurisdiction
• Courts of appeals.
• Cases may be appealed
all the way up to the
Supreme Court