Final answer:
Under the DTPA, a consumer may recover attorney fees, economic damages, and court costs. The act provides protection against deceptive business practices and ensures that consumers can seek legal redress. Additionally, the historical evolution of legal representation rights emphasizes the right to a public defender for those unable to afford private counsel.
Step-by-step explanation:
A consumer may recover several types of remedies under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). These can include attorney fees, economic damages, and court costs. The DTPA is designed to protect consumers from false, misleading, and deceptive business practices, unconscionable actions, and breaches of warranty. Under this act, not only can consumers seek the actual damages that arise from a merchant's unlawful actions, but they can also recover costs associated with pursuing legal action, including attorney fees and court costs.
Moreover, access to justice is a fundamental right, and those accused of serious crimes are entitled to an impartial jury and have the right to confront witnesses against them. The groundwork laid by the case of Gideon's Trumpet, where the need for a public defender was recognized by the Supreme Court, established the precedent that legal representation should be provided to those who cannot afford it. This principle ensures that all defendants, regardless of their financial means, have access to fair trial and representation.