[1] Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Court's holding, arguing that the procedural default shouldn't be excused.

Two lawyers from the New York law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell agreed to represent Maples free of charge.

The lawyers now handling the case asked for permission to appeal despite missing the original deadline, but that request was denied.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1976 (citing Brewer v. Williams, 430 U.S. 387 at 398) that a defendant's right to an attorney attaches "at or after the time that judicial proceedings have been initiated against him, whether by formal charge, preliminary hearing, indictment, information, or arraignment.

The unannounced and unauthorized abandonment of Maples' case by his lawyers proved significant enough to excuse the defendant from having failed to file an appeal in advance of the deadline.