Fourteenth Amendment: Expanding Civil Rights

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The Bill of Rights became a major influence on state actions with the adoption of the fourteenth amendment. The fourteenth amendment expanded the protection of civil rights to all Americans, many court rulings have nationalized the substantive protections. The fourteenth amendment has made the Bill of Rights applicable to the states. There are many Supreme Court rulings that have nationalized the substantive protections in the Bill of Rights. Starting with the 1963 Supreme Court decision in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright incorporated the right of the defendant in a criminal trial to have an attorney. Clarence Earl Gideon was charged in Florida court with a felony for breaking into a room with intent to commit a misdemeanor. He appeared in

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