Powell v. Alabama 1932

Were the Scottsboro defendants denied due process when tried for a capital crime without meaningful counsel?

287 U.S. 45 (1932)Criminal justice

The question: Were the Scottsboro defendants denied due process when tried for a capital crime without meaningful counsel?
What the Court held: Yes. In a capital case, due process requires the state to provide effective assistance of counsel.
The vote: 7–2
Era: The interwar years and the New Deal
Read the opinion: 287 U.S. 45 (1932), full text

This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.