In that case the US didn't have a justice system until 1963, as that's when people gained a right to a public defender: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_v

In that case the US didn't have a justice system until 1963, as that's when people gained a right to a public defender: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_v._Wainwright https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_v._Wainwright Although since the states rarely fund it adequately, you often basically don't have one.