What was the significance of Supreme Court's ruling in In re Gault?

Juveniles have the

right to an attorney and the right to remain

silent. Juveniles also have the right to confront

witnesses against them.

These rights were established by the

In re Gault Court case. In the 1967 case,

15-year-old Gerald Gault of Phoenix,

Arizona, was charged with making indecent

telephone calls to a neighbor. His parents

were not informed of his arrest. During the

hearing that followed, Gault did not have an

attorney present and the neighbor was not

questioned. The judge sentenced Gault to a

reformatory until the age of 21-a period of

six years. If Gault had been an adult, his

sentence would have been a $50 fine and a

few months in jail.