Commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright.

89(R) HR 572 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

H.R. No. 572

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, March 18, 2025, marks the 62nd anniversary of the

landmark Supreme Court ruling in
Gideon v.Wainwright
, which found

that under the United States Constitution, state courts must

provide attorneys to indigent defendants in all felony cases; and

WHEREAS, In
Gideon v. Wainwright
, the United States Supreme

Court unanimously reaffirmed the right of defendants to a fair

trial and recognized that our adversarial system of criminal

justice depends upon a fair contest between the prosecution and the

defense, and that this contest is an effective means of arriving at

just results only when both the prosecution and the defense are

adequately prepared and equipped to present their case effectively

under the law; and

WHEREAS, Because the assistance of counsel is essential to

effectuate a meaningful defense when faced with prosecution by the

state, the 77th Texas Legislature passed the Fair Defense Act of

2001 to better ensure that the constitutional rights of all Texans

would be more reliably safeguarded; and

WHEREAS, To ensure the rights guaranteed in
Gideon

v.

Wainwright
, the Fair Defense Act established the Task Force on

Indigent Defense, which was elevated to permanent agency status as

the Texas Indigent Defense Commission; the task force and the

commission have enabled many more people to receive public defense

services and earlier access to counsel, while also improving the

quality of legal assistance provided; and

WHEREAS, The commission also provides technical support to

counties to develop and maintain quality, cost-effective public

defense systems and offers financial assistance to meet the new

requirements and to foster innovation in the way that public

defense services are provided; state grant funds administered by

the commission have led to the creation of many new public defender

offices and managed assigned counsel programs to provide public

defense services in more than 82 counties, and the commission is

actively working to address the rural attorney shortage crisis by

establishing more rural regional public defender offices; and

WHEREAS,
Gideon v. Wainwright
marked a turning point in

American jurisprudence, and by affirming essential principles of

fairness and justice, the decision has played a crucial role in

guaranteeing access to counsel for all; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas

Legislature hereby commemorate the 62nd anniversary of
Gideon

v.

Wainwright
and commend the Texas Indigent Defense Commission on

its work to improve the administration of justice in this state.

Smithee

______________________________

Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 572 was adopted by the House on April

17, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 8, 2 present, not

voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House