---
title: "Rothgery v. Gillespie County"
citation: "Rothgery v. Gillespie County, 554 U.S. 191 (2008)"
authority_id: "AUTH-SCOTUS-ROTHGERY-554-US-191"
authority_type: "case"
jurisdiction: "federal_nationwide"
precedential_status: "binding"
official_url: "https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/boundvolumes/554bv.pdf"
url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-SCOTUS-ROTHGERY-554-US-191/"
legal_review: "2026-08-25"
links_checked: "2026-10-15"
links_available: 1
links_checked_count: 1
license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

# Rothgery v. Gillespie County

## Holdings used

- An initial appearance at which the defendant learns the formal accusation and liberty is restricted triggers attachment of the Sixth Amendment right to counsel without requiring prosecutor awareness or participation.
- Attachment is distinct from whether a proceeding is a critical stage requiring counsel's presence.

## Material limitation

The Court did not define counsel's required presence at every postattachment proceeding and did not make attachment a statutory trigger for a § 3142 detention hearing.

## Official source and pinpoint

554 U.S. 191, 194–95, 212–13 & nn.15–17 (2008): <https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/boundvolumes/554bv.pdf>


## Used in

- [Initial Appearance and Pretrial Release or Detention](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/20-pretrial/initial-appearance-and-pretrial-release.md)