The following excerpt is from U.S. v. Sherpinski, 70 F.3d 121 (9th Cir. 1995):
Sherpinski argues that he was denied the right to counsel in violation of the Sixth Amendment. But the Sixth Amendment does not require that counsel be appointed for a criminal defendant unless the defendant is actually imprisoned. Scott v. Illinois, 440 U.S. 367, 373 (1979) (adopting "actual imprisonment as the line defining the Constitutional right to appointment of counsel"). Sherpinski was fined in this case, but not imprisoned. We reject his Sixth Amendment claim.
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.