The right of every person to counsel and a jury trial protects us from the over-reach of powerful government and private interests.
Yahoo News provides an important reminder.
American Founders Knew: Right to Counsel Is Fundamental
The right to counsel is a core American principle pre-dating the establishment of American jurisprudence. Our founding fathers experienced the tyranny of a king whose decisions couldn’t be questioned and a justice system that employed the death penalty to eliminate his political opponents. To avoid such abuses of power, they established the right to a defense lawyer in the 1660s as one of the first checks on governmental power. This long standing right is essential to making sure everyone gets a fair trial.
About Author
Bill Thompson, Jr. is a trial lawyer with extensive experience seeking compensation for serious harm caused by, among others, Hospitals, Physicians and other healthcare providers (Federal and State), Manufacturers of dangerous products and drugs (Ford, General Motors, Michelin, and pharmaceutical companies), Common Carriers (US Airways, Carnival Cruise Lines), Class Actions involving Data Breaches, product liability, Airline Crashes, and any other negligent act leading to harm for many. We have nationwide experience in State and Federal courts, traveling wherever significant cases merit. We are often asked to appear in cases by motion with local partners in places as varied as Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and every jurisdiction in Florida.
