Panel to Focus on Rights of Poor and Disadvantaged to an Attorney in Court

The University of Arkansas School of Law's Criminal Law Society and Phi Alpha Delta are pleased to announce that they have partnered to host a panel discussion to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court's landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright.

The panel discussion, "Gideon's Legacy: The Indigents' Right to Counsel at First Appearances," will take place in the Law School's courtroom at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. There will be a reception immediately following the panel. The event will be free and open to the public. Additionally, the hosting organizations are in the process of qualifying this event for 1.5 hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit. 

The panel will gather an impressive array of legal practitioners and scholars in order to discuss the legacy of Gideon v. Wainwright, 372, U.S. 335 (1963). The Gideon court was the starting point for providing indigent criminal defendants with counsel under the Sixth Amendment. The panel discussion will focus on whether indigent defendants have the right to the assistance of counsel during their initial appearance before a judge.

Rule 8 of the Arkansas Rules of Criminal Procedure governs initial appearances. Under this rule the matter of whether the state should provide an attorney at this pivotal stage is unsettled. The panelists will consider whether the accused's right to counsel extends to initial appearances since it is at these proceedings where bail is initially set. 

The distinguished panel will include Annabelle Imber Tuck, former Arkansas Supreme Court justice and current commissioner of Arkansas Access to Justice); Gregg Parrish, director of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission; Doug Colbert, professor of law at the University of Maryland School of Law; Dan Givelber, professor of law and former dean at Northeastern University School of Law; and Tony Pirani, deputy public defender for the Washington County Public Defender's Office. The University of Arkansas School of Law's professor Laurent Sacharoff will moderate.

The Criminal Law Society is a student-run organization whose mission is to provide the University of Arkansas and local legal community with opportunities to learn more about the practice of criminal law.  This organization also seeks to bring students, academics, legal practitioners, and citizens together by providing informative lectures, debates, and discussions concerning pressing issues in criminal law.

Phi Alpha Delta is a legal fraternity seeking to advance legal integrity, compassion, and courage through service to law students, law schools, the legal profession, and the legal community at large.  Phi Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta works to promote its core values by forming a strong bond between students and legal professionals.

The Criminal Law Society and Phi Alpha Delta are extremely excited to host such a distinguished group of panelists. The two organizations hope you will join them for this compelling discussion exploring the right to counsel at the earliest stage of criminal proceedings in this state. Please RSVP in advance by emailing CrimLawSociety.Arkansas@gmail.com