The Constitution was written with the limitation of the federal government in mind, with each state responsible for protecting their citizens' rights as they saw fit. Syllabus. in this case was Smith Betts, who was described in Justice Black's dissenting opinion as "a farm hand, out of a job and on relief ... a man of little education." At the founding of the country, the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights(the first 10 amendments to the Constitution which were present at the ratification of the Constitution) did not apply to the states. Betts v. Brady. He was indigent and unable to retain an attorney. Betts was indicted for robbery in Maryland. Argued April 13, 14, 1942. He was unable to afford counsel and requested one be appointed for him. At his arraignment on the charges, Betts informed the judge that he was too poor to afford counsel and requested the court to provide an attorney for him.

837. 1595, 1942 U.S. LEXIS 489 (U.S. June 1, 1942) Brief Fact Summary. It was famously overruled by Gideon v. Wainwright.
CitationBetts v. Brady, 316 U.S. 455, 62 S. Ct. 1252, 86 L. Ed. The petitioner, Betts (the “petitioner”), was indicted for robbery in circuit court in Maryland. Significance of Gideon v. Wainwright . He was convicted of robbery, which he eventually appealed to the Supreme Court. Betts v. Brady, 316 U.S. 455, was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that denied counsel to indigent defendants when prosecuted by a state. In this case, Smith Betts, a farm worker in Maryland had asked for counsel to represent him for a robbery case. Gideon v. Wainwright overruled the previous decision of Betts v. Brady (1942). No. 86 L.Ed. 316 U.S. 455. Decided June 1, 1942. Decided June 1, 1942. The petitionerA party petitioning an appellate court to consider its case. Betts was indicted for robbery in the Circuit Court of Carroll County in Maryland. 1. Argued April 13, 14, 1942. 837. 62 S.Ct. In 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted which extended due process rights of the individual and equal protection of the law among oth…

BETTS v. BRADY, Warden.

The judge in the case denied the request, and Betts subsequently pled not guilty. 1595. The judge denied Betts' request on the grounds that i… Indeed, the underpinnings of Gideon are clear in the dissent in Betts. 316 U.S. 455. U.S. Supreme Court Betts v. Brady, 316 U.S. 455 (1942) Betts v. Brady. 1252. No. Significance: Betts v. Brady is a landmark decision less for its own holding, and more because it was the case that was overruled 20 years later by the famous case Gideon v. Wainwright, which required appointed counsel for indigent defendants in any criminal case. He argued he was wrongfully denied his right to counsel.