Emily Allen

Press Herald

Emily Allen covers courts for the Portland Press Herald. It's her favorite beat so far — before moving to Maine in 2022, she reported on a wide range of topics for public radio in West Virginia and was the City Hall reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Emily is not a fan of the cold, but she puts up with Maine's challenging winters because she loves the state's beautiful hiking options ... once the snow has cleared.

Latest

Published
March 25, 2025

Maine AG has faith in court system even as some fear Trump won’t abide judicial orders

Aaron Frey told Mainers at a town hall Tuesday night he’s been able to enforce court orders in various lawsuits against the Trump administration, dealing with citizenship, privacy rights and federal funding.
Published
March 19, 2025

A $3M boost to Maine’s public defense spurs objections on all sides

An emergency bill sought to compromise the demands of Gov. Janet Mills and the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services as the state faces a constitutional violation over a lack of court-appointed attorneys.
Published
March 19, 2025

Maine lawmakers endorse nominees to state’s high, superior courts

The Senate will have a final vote on Julia Lipez’s nomination to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and Darcie McElwee’s to the Superior Court.
Published
March 18, 2025

Third man pleads guilty to stealing property from Bowdoin home where deadly shooting occurred

Arden Shaw was one of 3 people to face federal charges over stolen U.S. Border Patrol equipment.
Published
March 17, 2025

Hancock County probate judge could again be suspended from practicing law

William Blaisdell has until April 1 to show he has paid his taxes, or else he risks a one-year suspension from practicing law.
Published
March 17, 2025

Maine has spent millions to digitize court records — and they’re still mostly not online

A recent decision to halt most online access puts into question whether eCourts will truly do what the state judicial branch promised.
Published
March 12, 2025

Judge denies AG’s request to reinstate Maine’s 72-hour law on gun purchases pending appeal

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker denied the attorney general’s call to restore the waiting period for gun purchases while waiting for a federal appeals court to take up the case.
Published
March 12, 2025

All 6 of Maine’s federal judges recuse themselves from Rep. Laurel Libby’s lawsuit against House speaker

The Republican state lawmaker’s case will now be considered by a federal judge from Rhode Island.
Published
March 7, 2025

Maine to drop charges, release people from jail over public defense failures

Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy gives Maine’s public defense agency 1 month before criminal defendants who cannot afford their own attorneys are released from jail if they have waited more than 2 weeks for a lawyer.
Published
March 3, 2025

Maine lawmakers once again weigh creating trial deadlines in criminal cases

This is the 3rd time lawmakers are considering a ‘speedy trial’ bill that would force courts to dismiss cases if a defendant waits too long for trial.

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