Right to counsel: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Right to counsel,” part of the Criminal Procedure area.

Legal provisions most often involved

All 112 decisions, newest first

• Villarreal v. Texas
  607 U.S. 465Decided February 25, 20269–0Ketanji Brown Jackson
• Clark v. Sweeney
  607 U.S. 7Decided November 24, 20259–0Per curiam
• Thornell v. Jones
  144 S. Ct. 1302Decided May 30, 20246–3Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Garza v. Idaho
  139 S. Ct. 738Decided February 27, 20196–3Sonia Sotomayor
• McCoy v. Louisiana
  138 S. Ct. 1500Decided May 14, 20186–3Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Lee v. United States
  137 S. Ct. 1958Decided June 23, 20176–2John G. Roberts Jr.
• Buck v. Davis
  137 S. Ct. 759Decided February 22, 20176–2John G. Roberts Jr.
• United States v. Bryant
  579 U.S. 140Decided June 13, 20168–0Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Jeffrey Woods v. Timothy Etherton
  578 U.S. 113Decided April 4, 20168–0Per curiam
• Luis v. United States
  578 U.S. 5Decided March 30, 20165–3Stephen G. Breyer
• Maryland v. James Kulbicki
  577 U.S. 1Decided October 5, 20159–0Per curiam
• Kaley v. United States
  571 U.S. 320Decided February 25, 20146–3Elena Kagan
• Demarcus Ali Sears v. Stephen Upton
  561 U.S. 945Decided June 29, 20105–4Per curiam
• Jose Padilla v. Kentucky
  559 U.S. 356Decided March 31, 20107–2John Paul Stevens
• Jesse Jay Montejo v. LouisianaAltered precedent
  556 U.S. 778Decided May 26, 20095–4Antonin Scalia
• Indiana v. Edwards
  554 U.S. 164Decided June 19, 20087–2Stephen G. Breyer
• Randall Wright v. Joseph L. Van Patten
  552 U.S. 120Decided January 7, 20089–0Per curiam
• United States v. Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez-Lopez
  548 U.S. 140Decided June 26, 20065–4Antonin Scalia
• Ronald Rompilla v. Jeffrey A. Beard
  545 U.S. 374Decided June 20, 20055–4David H. Souter
• Florida v. Joe Elton Nixon
  543 U.S. 175Decided December 13, 20048–0Stephen G. Breyer
• Iowa v. Felipe Edgardo Tovar
  541 U.S. 77Decided March 8, 20049–0Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• John J. Fellers v. United States
  540 U.S. 519Decided January 26, 20049–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Michael Yarborough v. Lionel E. Gentry
  540 U.S. 1Decided October 20, 20039–0Per curiam
• Kevin Wiggins v. Sewall Smith
  539 U.S. 510Decided June 26, 20037–2Sandra Day O'Connor
• Alabama v. Lereed Shelton
  535 U.S. 654Decided May 20, 20025–4Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Walter Mickens, Jr. v. John Taylor
  535 U.S. 162Decided March 27, 20025–4Antonin Scalia
• Texas v. Raymond Levi Cobb
  532 U.S. 162Decided April 2, 20015–4William H. Rehnquist
• Paul L. Glover v. United States
  531 U.S. 198Decided January 9, 20019–0Anthony M. Kennedy
• Ernest C. Roe v. Lucio Flores-Ortega
  528 U.S. 470Decided February 23, 20006–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Salvador Martinez v. Court of Appeal of California
  528 U.S. 152Decided January 12, 20009–0John Paul Stevens
• Kenneth O. Nichols v. United StatesAltered precedent
  511 U.S. 738Decided June 6, 19946–3William H. Rehnquist
• A. L. Lockhart v. Bobby Ray Fretwell
  506 U.S. 364Decided January 25, 19937–2William H. Rehnquist
• Paul McNeil v. Wisconsin
  501 U.S. 171Decided June 13, 19916–3Antonin Scalia
• Michigan v. Tyris Lemont Harvey
  494 U.S. 344Decided March 5, 19905–4William H. Rehnquist
• Powell v. Texas
  492 U.S. 680Decided July 3, 19899–0Per curiam
• United States v. Monsanto
  491 U.S. 600Decided June 22, 19895–4Byron R. White
• Caplin & Drysdale v. United States
  491 U.S. 617Decided June 22, 19895–4Byron R. White
• Perry v. Leeke
  488 U.S. 272Decided January 1, 19896–3John Paul Stevens
• Patterson v. Illinois
  487 U.S. 285Decided June 24, 19885–4Byron R. White
• Satterwhite v. Texas
  486 U.S. 249Decided May 31, 19888–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Wheat v. United States
  486 U.S. 153Decided May 23, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Burger v. Kemp
  483 U.S. 776Decided June 26, 19875–4John Paul Stevens
• Kimmelman v. Morrison
  477 U.S. 365Decided June 26, 19869–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Kuhlmann v. Wilson
  477 U.S. 436Decided June 26, 19866–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Michigan v. Jackson
  475 U.S. 625Decided April 1, 19866–3John Paul Stevens
• Nix v. Whiteside
  475 U.S. 157Decided February 26, 19869–0Warren E. Burger
• Maine v. Moulton
  474 U.S. 159Decided December 10, 19855–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Evitts v. Lucey
  469 U.S. 387Decided January 21, 19857–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Nix v. Williams
  467 U.S. 431Decided June 11, 19847–2Warren E. Burger
• United States v. Gouveia
  467 U.S. 180Decided May 29, 19848–1William H. Rehnquist
• United States v. Cronic
  466 U.S. 648Decided May 14, 19849–0John Paul Stevens
• McKaskle v. Wiggins
  465 U.S. 168Decided January 23, 19846–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Jones v. Barnes
  463 U.S. 745Decided July 5, 19837–2Warren E. Burger
• Morris v. Slappy
  461 U.S. 1Decided April 20, 19839–0Warren E. Burger
• Wainwright v. Torna
  455 U.S. 586Decided March 22, 19827–2Per curiam
• Lassiter v. Department of Social Services of Durham County
  452 U.S. 18Decided June 1, 19815–4Potter Stewart
• United States v. Morrison
  449 U.S. 361Decided January 13, 19819–0Byron R. White
• United States v. Henry
  447 U.S. 264Decided June 16, 19806–3Warren E. Burger
• Cuyler v. Sullivan
  446 U.S. 335Decided May 12, 19808–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Baldasar v. Illinois
  446 U.S. 222Decided April 22, 19805–4Per curiam
• Scott v. Illinois
  440 U.S. 367Decided March 5, 19795–4William H. Rehnquist
• Brewer v. Williams
  430 U.S. 387Decided March 23, 19775–4Potter Stewart
• Weatherford v. Bursey
  429 U.S. 545Decided February 22, 19777–2Byron R. White
• Geders v. United States
  425 U.S. 80Decided March 30, 19768–0Warren E. Burger
• Middendorf v. Henry
  425 U.S. 25Decided March 24, 19765–3William H. Rehnquist
• Faretta v. California
  422 U.S. 806Decided June 30, 19756–3Potter Stewart
• Herring v. New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  422 U.S. 853Decided June 30, 19756–3Potter Stewart
• Gagnon v. ScarpelliLaw held unconstitutional
  411 U.S. 778Decided May 14, 19738–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Milton v. Wainwright
  407 U.S. 371Decided June 22, 19725–4Warren E. Burger
• Argersinger v. Hamlin
  407 U.S. 25Decided June 12, 19729–0William O. Douglas
• United States v. Tucker
  404 U.S. 443Decided January 11, 19725–2Potter Stewart
• Coleman v. Alabama
  399 U.S. 1Decided June 22, 19705–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Skinner v. Louisiana
  393 U.S. 473Decided January 27, 19696–3Per curiam
• Burgett v. Texas
  389 U.S. 109Decided November 13, 19676–3William O. Douglas
• Mempa v. Rhay
  389 U.S. 128Decided November 13, 19679–0Thurgood Marshall
• Wood v. United States
  389 U.S. 20Decided October 16, 19677–1Per curiam
• Greer v. Beto
  384 U.S. 269Decided May 23, 19668–1Per curiam
• Escobedo v. IllinoisAltered precedent
  378 U.S. 478Decided June 22, 19645–4Arthur J. Goldberg
• McLeod v. Ohio.
  378 U.S. 582Decided June 22, 19646–3Per curiam
• Massiah v. United States
  377 U.S. 201Decided May 18, 19646–3Potter Stewart
• Crews v. Wainwright
  375 U.S. 50Decided October 21, 19637–2Per curiam
• Banks v. Wainwright
  375 U.S. 51Decided October 21, 19637–2Per curiam
• Newsome v. North Carolina
  375 U.S. 21Decided October 14, 19638–1Per curiam
• Pickelsimer v. Wainwright
  375 U.S. 2Decided October 14, 19638–1Per curiam
• Barnes v. North Carolina
  375 U.S. 28Decided October 14, 19638–1Per curiam
• White v. Maryland
  373 U.S. 59Decided April 29, 19639–0Per curiam
• Gideon v. WainwrightAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  372 U.S. 335Decided March 18, 19639–0Hugo L. Black
• Walton v. Arkansas
  371 U.S. 28Decided October 22, 19629–0Per curiam
• Carnley v. Cochran
  369 U.S. 506Decided April 30, 19627–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Chewning v. Cunningham
  368 U.S. 443Decided February 19, 19629–0William O. Douglas
• Hamilton v. Alabama
  368 U.S. 52Decided November 13, 19619–0William O. Douglas
• Ferguson v. GeorgiaLaw held unconstitutional
  365 U.S. 570Decided March 27, 19619–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Reynolds v. Cochran
  365 U.S. 525Decided March 20, 19619–0Hugo L. Black
• McNeal v. Culver
  365 U.S. 109Decided January 23, 19619–0Charles E. Whittaker
• Hudson v. North Carolina
  363 U.S. 697Decided June 20, 19607–2Potter Stewart
• Anonymous Nos. 6 and 7 v. Baker
  360 U.S. 287Decided June 15, 19595–4John M. Harlan II
• Cash v. Culver
  358 U.S. 633Decided February 24, 19599–0Potter Stewart
• Moore v. Michigan
  355 U.S. 155Decided December 9, 19575–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• In re Groban
  352 U.S. 330Decided February 25, 19575–4Stanley F. Reed
• Massey v. Moore
  348 U.S. 105Decided December 6, 19548–0William O. Douglas
• Chandler v. Warden Fretag
  348 U.S. 3Decided November 8, 19548–0Earl Warren
• Palmer v. Ashe
  342 U.S. 134Decided December 11, 19515–4Hugo L. Black
• Quicksall v. Michigan
  339 U.S. 660Decided June 5, 19507–1Felix Frankfurter
• Gibbs v. Burke
  337 U.S. 773Decided June 27, 19499–0Stanley F. Reed
• Uveges v. Pennsylvania
  335 U.S. 437Decided December 13, 19486–3Stanley F. Reed
• Gryger v. Burke
  334 U.S. 728Decided June 14, 19485–4Robert H. Jackson
• Bute v. Illinois
  333 U.S. 640Decided April 19, 19485–4Harold H. Burton
• Von Moltke v. Gillies
  332 U.S. 708Decided January 19, 19486–3Hugo L. Black
• Foster v. Illinois
  332 U.S. 134Decided June 23, 19475–4Felix Frankfurter
• Gayes v. New York
  332 U.S. 145Decided June 23, 19475–4Felix Frankfurter
• De Meerleer v. Michigan
  329 U.S. 663Decided February 3, 19479–0Per curiam
• Carter v. Illinois
  329 U.S. 173Decided December 9, 19465–4Felix Frankfurter

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error