Case law can be assessed through both free and subscription-based databases. This page includes a list of suggested databases and cases to help you get started. Read through the cases on this page and the articles on the Background and Historical Context Tab. As you read through those resources, jot down some possibly helpful search terms. With those in hand you can start researching case law using the links here with an eye to cases involving a public defender or those in which the right to representation is relevant.
The link above will take you to the Case Law Resources page of this free resource. You'll find sections offering Most Viewed resources and sources, followed by an interactive national map with which you can find state codes and cases, and finally a section for Federal Resources with separate links for each jurisdiction.
Once you click on the link above, be sure and scroll all the way down the page to see the different ways you can start researching case law in Lexis+. Looking down the page, you will see the first section, Cases. In this area you can choose All Federal cases, All States, All Trial Court Orders, All Tribal, All Reported Federal, and finally, All Reported States. The next section is Federal Cases by Court, with a dozen sub-links, followed by Federal Cases by Circuit, listing all the Circuit Courts. The next section is Cases by State, listing the states and the District of Columbia. The last section is Practice Area, with everything from Administrative Law to Workers' Compensation.
Just like in Lexis+, the Westlaw link above will take you to the Cases page and by scrolling all the way down the page you will find different sections that offer unique sets of choices. These sections, each with sub-links are: Cases (All Federal Cases & All State Cases), Federal Cases by Court, Federal Cases by Circuit, Cases by State, Cases - Other Jurisdictions, and finally, Cases by Topic.
In the landmark 1963 United State Supreme Court case, Gideon v. Wainwright, the court held for the first time that the U.S. Constitution requires state courts to provide counsel for indigent defendants.
Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S. Ct. 792, 9 L. Ed. 2d 799 (1963)
The cases listed below are sometimes known as the progeny of Gideon. Look them up using the FindLaw, Justia, Lexis+ or Westlaw links above to see how the constitutional principles established in Gideon have been extended and clarified in these important cases.
Douglas v. People of State of Cal., 372 U.S. 353, 83 S. Ct. 814, 9 L. Ed. 2d 811 (1963)
This case was handed down the same day as Gideon. It expanded on Gideon by specifying that an indigent defendant has a right to counsel at trial in direct appeals to state court.
Application of Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 87 S. Ct. 1428, 18 L. Ed. 2d 527 (1967)
This is another case in which Gideon was expanded, asserting that an indigent minor defendant also has a constitutional right to counsel.
Argersinger v. Hamlin, 407 U.S. 25, 92 S. Ct. 2006, 32 L. Ed. 2d 530 (1972)
Based on Gideon, Argersinger v Hamlin established that the right to counsel is not limited to felony cases.
Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1984)
Strickland extended what Gideon first established, that indigent defendants have a right to counsel, but this case further established that the right to counsel was not enough. The court in this case reasoned that such a defendant has a right to "effective" counsel.