Most Americans know that in all criminal cases – those filed by the government against an accused individual – the defendant has a constitutional right to a lawyer. The Supreme Court established this right in 1963 in the landmark case Gideon v. Wainright.
What many people may not know is that no such right exists in civil cases. Civil cases are those filed by individuals or businesses against other individuals or businesses – for example, a landlord against a tenant, a bank against a borrower or an employee against an employer. These cases affect rights that many Americans take for granted, including housing, healthcare and education.
