Your Sixth Amendment Rights

The Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution spells out certain rights that apply to anyone accused of a crime. When these rights are violated, the defendant may be able to arrange a new trial or have the charges against him dismissed entirely. If you are ever accused of an illegal action, it is very important to know the constitutional rights that have been afforded to you.

Know Your Rights

The Sixth Amendment grants any defendant in a criminal trial the right to:

• A speedy trial. There is no definite timeframe during which your trial must begin. However, if the prosecution deliberately delays your trial for their advantage, you may be able to get the charges dropped.
• A public trial. You may be able to waive this if publicity would unfairly interfere with your legal defense. Otherwise, you have the right to be tried publically to ensure openness and fairness.
• A trial by jury. This is generally waived for petty crimes (carrying penalties under six months in jail) or for juvenile offenders being tried in family court. However, all other defendants have the right to a trial before a jury of their peers.
• Know the nature of your accusation. The indictment that precedes a trial must clearly list the accusations you face.
• Confront your accusers. You or your lawyer must be allowed to cross-examine any witnesses or other accusers in your case.
• Legal counsel. You may hire an attorney, request court-appointed representation, or choose to represent yourself.

Contact Us

Protecting your legal rights in court is not always as easy as it should be. To make sure your rights are being protected, contact Rhode Island expungement attorney James Powderly at 401-662-9006.