Justin

=[]= = = =Rights to Criminal Prosecution=

The Sixth Amendment

All criminal trials have the right to a speedy and public trial where the crime was committed with the ability to have Assistance of Counsel for their defense or represent themselves.

The amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791 as apart of the American Bill of Rights. The process to which a bill is ratified either by 3/4 of the states legislatures approved or each state calls for a special ratification convention called by congress.

Historical background on the 6th Amendment started off with the right to a speedy trial. However the Supreme Court placed a 4 part test to determine if the defendant's speedy trail had been compromised.

The importance of the the amendment is that everyone is entitled to a fair and due process of a trial.



How it affects our civil liberities is we have the fair advantages to a public trail, right to a jury to hear our case, notice of accusation to where the defendant has the right to know the nature and cause of the accusation against him. We have the ability to cross examation and the ability to represent ourselves with the guideance of a counselor. This is how the court room process during a trial works.