The Jacksonville Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is hosting a cocktail reception and dinner at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Jessie Ball duPont Center Downtown.
The event will be a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Gideon v. Wainwright. The landmark decision recognized that assistance of counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial and said that the 6th and 14th Amendments require states to appoint attorneys for defendants who cannot afford to retain counsel on their own.
Gideon impacted not only the state court system, but the federal system as well. One year after the Supreme Court issued its decision in Gideon, Congress passed the Criminal Justice Act, which provides funding for court-appointed counsel in federal cases.
The event will focus on the legacy and impact of Gideon on the state and federal court systems and will honor state and federal public defenders, conflict counsel and Criminal Justice Act attorneys.
The dinner program will include an overview of the Gideon decision; a video interview of Stetson University Law School professor Bruce Jacobs, who argued Gideon as a 27-year-old lawyer; and a panel discussion with state and federal criminal practitioners who will address the legacy of Gideon, as well as the successes and challenges of the public defender system.
There is no cost to attend through support from the lawyers and judges of the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, and the court’s Bench Bar Fund. All members of the legal community are invited.
Visit tinyurl.com/yc53ykc9 to register.