Ross v. Moffitt 417 U.S. 600 (1974)

• Author: Kenneth L. Karst
• Pages: 2295

Page 2295

Ross sharply limited the requirement of DOUGLAS V. CALIFORNIA (1963) that counsel be provided, free of charge, to INDIGENTS seeking to appeal from state convictions. The Douglas opinion had referred only to the "first appeal as of right," and here the Supreme Court's 6?3 majority drew the line defining the state's constitutional responsibility at precisely that point. There was no obligation to furnish counsel to pursue discretionary appeals or applications for Supreme Court review. Justice WILLIAM H. REHNQUIST'S majority opinion did distinguish Douglas, but its reasoning drew heavily on the Douglas dissent of Justice...