If I Am In Prison During My Trial, Do I Get To Change Clothes?

We have discussed a defendant's right to a fair trial. Apart of this concept, is the right of the accused to be presumed innocent by an impartial jury. Many times, a trial court will set the bond amount so high that an accused cannot get out of jail. The issue will arise when the defendant faces trial whether they are to face a jury in his or her prison clothes.

In Estelle v. Williams, the Supreme Court of the United States held that a trial court violates the defendant's Fourteenth Amendment due process rights to make a defendant stand trial before a jury while dressed in prison clothes that are easily identifiable. 425 U.S. 501 (1976).

Thus, it is incumbent on the defense attorney to ensure that the accused has a fair trial and part and parcel of this is to ensure that the defendant is in proper clothing. If you have been charged with sexual assault of a minor or child molestation contact a Plano criminal defense lawyer.