critical stages
Defined in 1 dictionary — Case Law
Definitions from Case Law
From 393 U.S. 5 - Arsenault v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts · 1968Most cited · 401 citing opinions
The right to counsel at the trial...on appeal...and at the other 'critical' stages of the criminal proceedings...have all been made retroactive, since the 'denial of the right must almost invariably deny a fair trial.