The ACLU of Maine lawsuit alleged Maine failed to create an effective public defense system in violation of criminal defendants' constitutional rights.
The Maine Legislature's recent hike in pay for court-appointed private criminal defense attorneys is aimed at combating a chronic backlog of cases clogging up the state's courts.
The Maine Legislature's recent hike in pay for court-appointed private criminal defense attorneys is aimed at combating a chronic backlog of cases clogging up the state's courts.
But the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services says that the pay increase needs to be extended beyond this summer and that more needs to be done to stabilize the program and meet the state’s constitutional obligations.