the chapter starts out with gideon v. wainwright, clarence gideon was a fifty-one year old man accused of stealing change from a poolroom in panama city. he could not afford to pay an attorney, he therefore was not able to have representation in the courtroom. in the process of his trial gideon requested that an attorney be provided and he was denied by the judge. while gideon was incarcerated he mailed a petition to the supreme court and changed history. the supreme court ruled in his favor.