On March 18, 1963, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Gideon v . Wainwright that the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of counsel in criminal cases is a fundamental right, essential to a fair trial, as provided by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The court battle leading up to this ruling was truly a case of David v. Goliath. In recent years, there has been a push to advocate for a “Civil Gideon” – the right to legal counsel in civil cases. If Civil Gideon should ever come to pass as a universal Constitutional right, the legacy of Clarence Earl Gideon, whose own case was decided on this day 59 years ago, would be fulfilled for all so that “justice should be the same, in substance and availability, without regard to economic status” and irrespective of the type of offense.
Read moreLegal Visionary Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray and the Fight Against "Jane Crow"
Civil rights and women’s rights activist, lawyer, scholar, poet, and Episcopal priest Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray was the first to use the term “Jane Crow” to describe the racism and misogyny African-American women faced in the post-Reconstruction era leading up to the civil rights movement. Their* work and activism helped shape legal ideas and arguments for gender and racial equality in the decades leading up to the civil rights movement.
Read moreFree Virtual CLE - 80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States
Join us Thursday, February 17, 2022, for a virtual CLE called “Free Virtual CLE - 80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States.” This program begins with a screening of “Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066,” a one-hour documentary about the false information and political influences which led to the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. This documentary also depicts the process undertaken to overturn Fred Korematsu’s conviction for violating an internment order in Korematsu v. The United States. After the screening, panelists will discuss the making of the film, the history of Korematsu v. The United States, the role of state judiciaries in protecting individual rights, and the importance of civic engagement. CLE Credit (Texas): 2.0 hours of MCLE; 1.0 hour of Ethics
Read moreUpcoming CLE – “80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States”
On February 17, 2022, the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, in conjunction with Stop Repeating History, will present a CLE entitled, “80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States.” More information and registration information will be forthcoming in early 2022. This blog post provides an overview of the background and procedural history of the Korematsu v. The United States court case as context for the February 17th CLE.
Read moreRobert W. Hainsworth: Undaunted Advocate – Two New Exhibits
In anticipation of our virtual rededication ceremony at 2 p.m. Central today, the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library has curated two exhibits honoring our namesake, one physical exhibit in the Law Library lobby and one digital exhibit available online. Both are titled, “Robert Wendell Hainsworth: Undaunted Advocate.” Learn more about Robert W. Hainsworth by exploring these exhibits and by visiting our webpage dedicated to him: https://www.harriscountylawlibrary.org/robert-w-hainsworth.
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