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U.S. Attorney General calls for stronger Sixth Amendment right to counsel

By ambimb

U.S. Attorney Eric Holder spoke today in Wilmington, NC, about the need for more resources for public defenders and more substance in the Sixth Amendment right to counsel: “Today the Sixth Amendment right to council is quite simply, not a right at all. Not to the extent that it should be. The right to council is the right of every citizen and it must be the concern of every citizen,” he explained. Holder told the group that many people waive their right to legal council without any idea of what that means for their rights. He urged judges and others to push for higher professional standards so that more people can have access to equal legal rights. Holder’s comments follow the announcement earlier this year that his Justice Department would be launching the Access to Justice Initiative, “a new program to help low-income people receive legal help...continue to full post

Full post as published by Public Defender Stuff on June 19, 2010 (boomark / email).