H.R. No. 808
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, March 18, 2013, marks the 50th anniversary of the
landmark Supreme Court ruling in Gideon v. Wainwright, which found
that under the United States Constitution, state courts must
provide attorneys to indigent defendants in all felony cases; and
WHEREAS, In Gideon v. Wainwright, the United States Supreme
Court recognized that our adversarial system of criminal justice
depends upon a fair contest between the prosecution and the
defense, and that this system is an effective means of arriving at
just results only when both the prosecution and the defense are
adequately prepared and equipped to present their case effectively
under the law; and
WHEREAS, Justice Hugo Black, who wrote the unanimous
decision, noted: "From the very beginning, our state and national
constitutions and laws have laid great emphasis on procedural and
substantive safeguards designed to assure fair trials before
impartial tribunals in which every defendant stands equal before
the law. This noble ideal cannot be realized if the poor man charged
with crime has to face his accusers without a lawyer to assist him";
and
WHEREAS, Because the assistance of counsel is essential to
effectuate a meaningful defense when faced with prosecution by the
state, Texas passed the Fair Defense Act of 2001 to better ensure
that the constitutional rights of all Texans would be more reliably
safeguarded; implementation of the Act has enabled many more people
to receive public defense services and earlier access to counsel,
and it has improved the quality of legal assistance provided; and
WHEREAS, The Fair Defense Act created the Task Force on
Indigent Defense, now known as the Texas Indigent Defense
Commission, to provide technical support to counties to develop and
maintain quality, cost-effective public defense systems, as well as
to offer financial assistance to meet the new requirements and to
foster innovation in the way public defense services are provided;
new state grant funds administered by the commission have led to the
creation of 13 public defender offices and 3 managed assigned
counsel programs to provide public defense services in more than
180 counties; and
WHEREAS, Affirming essential principles of fairness and
justice, Gideon v. Wainwright marked a turning point in American
jurisprudence, and it is indeed fitting to recognize the vital role
this decision has played over the past half-century in guaranteeing
access to counsel for all; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Supreme
Court's decision in Gideon v. Wainwright.
Herrero
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
Alonzo Gooden Otto Alonzo Gooden Otto
Alonzo Gooden Otto
Alvarado Guerra Paddie Alvarado Guerra Paddie
Alvarado Guerra Paddie
Anchia Guillen Parker Anchia Guillen Parker
Anchia Guillen Parker
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
Ashby Harless Perez Ashby Harless Perez
Ashby Harless Perez
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
Bohac Herrero Pickett Bohac Herrero Pickett
Bohac Herrero Pickett
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
Branch Huberty Raney Branch Huberty Raney
Branch Huberty Raney
Burkett Hughes Ratliff Burkett Hughes Ratliff
Burkett Hughes Ratliff
Burnam Hunter Raymond Burnam Hunter Raymond
Burnam Hunter Raymond
Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds
Button Isaac Reynolds
Callegari Johnson Riddle Callegari Johnson Riddle
Callegari Johnson Riddle
Canales Kacal Ritter Canales Kacal Ritter
Canales Kacal Ritter
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
Clardy King of Parker Rose Clardy King of Parker Rose
Clardy King of Parker Rose
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
Creighton Krause Simmons Creighton Krause Simmons
Creighton Krause Simmons
Crownover Kuempel Simpson Crownover Kuempel Simpson
Crownover Kuempel Simpson
Dale Larson Smith Dale Larson Smith
Dale Larson Smith
Darby Laubenberg Smithee Darby Laubenberg Smithee
Darby Laubenberg Smithee
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
Deshotel Longoria Strama Deshotel Longoria Strama
Deshotel Longoria Strama
Dukes Lozano Taylor Dukes Lozano Taylor
Dukes Lozano Taylor
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
Elkins Martinez Toth Elkins Martinez Toth
Elkins Martinez Toth
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
Farrar Miles Villalba Farrar Miles Villalba
Farrar Miles Villalba
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Frank Moody Walle Frank Moody Walle
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morrison White Frullo Morrison White
Frullo Morrison White
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
Giddings Murphy Wu Giddings Murphy Wu
Giddings Murphy Wu
Goldman Naishtat Zedler Goldman Naishtat Zedler
Goldman Naishtat Zedler
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 808 was adopted by the House on March
18, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
Alonzo Gooden Otto
Alvarado Guerra Paddie
Anchia Guillen Parker
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
Ashby Harless Perez
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
Bohac Herrero Pickett
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
Branch Huberty Raney
Burkett Hughes Ratliff
Burnam Hunter Raymond
Button Isaac Reynolds
Callegari Johnson Riddle
Canales Kacal Ritter
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
Clardy King of Parker Rose
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
Creighton Krause Simmons
Crownover Kuempel Simpson
Dale Larson Smith
Darby Laubenberg Smithee
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
Deshotel Longoria Strama
Dukes Lozano Taylor
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
Elkins Martinez Toth
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
Farrar Miles Villalba
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morrison White
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
Giddings Murphy Wu
Goldman Naishtat Zedler
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas