Oct Third Thursday Free Lecture "A History of the Monroe County Public Defender Office"

Name: Oct Third Thursday Free Lecture "A History of the Monroe County Public Defender Office"
Start: 2024-10-17T19:00:00-04:00
Location: Monroe County Bar Association, 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg

Schedule

Thu Oct 17 2024 at 07:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Monroe County Bar Association, 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg | Stroudsburg, PA

The Monroe County Historical Association is pleased to announce a free program open to the public. Retired Magisterial District Judge Michael Muth will give a presentation titled, "Real Lawyers: A History of the Monroe County Public Defender Office in the 20th Century." This program is part of the popular Third Thursday Lecture Series and will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Monroe County Bar Association, 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360.
On April 21, 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court received a handwritten letter from a Florida inmate asking the Court to review his theft conviction. The 12-page letter argued that he had been denied his right to an attorney during his trial because he couldn't afford one. The Florida courts had decided that, even though he was indigent, the U.S. Constitution did not require that he receive a free lawyer, paid for by the state. Thus began the saga of Clarence Gideon and the eventual requirement that if a person could not afford a lawyer in a criminal case, a free lawyer would be provided for them. The Office of the Public Defender grew out of this case.
The Third Thursday Lecture Series is free, but reservations are suggested due to limited space. To reserve your spot or for additional information, please contact the Monroe County Historical Association office at (570) 421-7703 or [email protected].