The flashes of the paparazzi, stepping out of a police car and being led into a courthouse. Eight hours later, coming out sentenced to the unknown. This is how people must feel when they are being led into a trial. Although it may seem unimportant, it stops state governments from taking people’s rights, and it also stops defendants from dragging out their case for a very long time. The 6th amendment is a seemingly unimportant amendment that guarantees basic rights, and stops people from dragging out their trial.

            The 6th amendment is seemingly redundant. It seems as if it is just stating the obvious, but nowhere in the constitution other than that does it say that defendants have the right to a fair trial. It also says that the trial should be speedy. This is so that people do not try to drag out their trial forever and keep appealing over and over. This is so that they do not waste the judge’s time and stop the judge from going over other cases of more or less importance.

            The 6th amendment guarantees people basic rights. It gives them the right to a speedy trial. It also gives them the right to have witnesses, and makes sure that the prosecution gives witnesses too. The 6th also guarantees that they get a lawyer. If they are too poor to afford one, then the government must provide them with one. In 1963 in the Gideon v. Wainwright case, the Supreme Court ruled that all people MUST have a lawyer defending them.

            In addition to these rights, the defendant is provided with other rights. They are also given the right to know the cause for their incrimination. It provides them with an impartial jury of the state and district when the crime has been committed.

            Although the 6th amendment is seemingly redundant and useless, It is actually a very important amendment. It guarantees people their basic rights, and stops them for dragging their trial out for months. It guarantees them a lawyer. It also allows them to have favorable witnesses, and the jury in question must hear both sides of the issue at hand. It is not only a law, but a basic human right.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by and impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining Witness in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.