Supreme Court of the United States
Washington v. Texas
June 12, 1967388 U.S. 14
Summary
Chief Justice Warren's opinion held that the Sixth Amendment right to compulsory process applies to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment and protects the right to present relevant, material defense testimony, not merely to secure a witness's attendance. Texas violated that right by arbitrarily excluding the testimony of a competent alleged coparticipant who personally observed the events, while permitting such witnesses to testify for the prosecution. The Court reversed the conviction. Justice Harlan concurred in the result without a joinder, rejecting incorporation and reasoning instead that the unjustified discrimination between prosecution and defense witnesses independently violated due process.
Holding
- Application of the Compulsory Process Clause to state criminal proceedings.. The Sixth Amendment right to compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in the accused's favor is fundamental and applies to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment.
- Constitutionality of Texas's exclusion of testimony from alleged coparticipants offered by the defense.. Texas denied Washington compulsory process by arbitrarily preventing a physically and mentally capable witness from testifying about personally observed events when his testimony was relevant and material to the defense.
Docket 649
Cited authorities
- Cal. Code § 1880
- Cal. Code § 1321