Anyone needing help from court should contact their courthouse directly, the Maine Judicial Branch said.
Emily Allen
Staff Writer
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.
Lewiston mother sues feds after waiting over 5 years to be reunited with husband
Fowziya Weheliye has been separated from her husband for 9 years after the couple fled Somalia, and then Kenya as refugees. She has been waiting since 2018 for federal officials to allow her husband to join her and their children in the U.S.
Judge to weigh new DNA evidence in Dennis Dechaine case
An attorney for the man convicted of killing Sarah Cherry in 1988 is arguing for witness testimony and a crime scene reconstruction in his bid for a new trial.
Lebanon man sentenced to more than 7 years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol
Kyle Fitzsimons was found guilty of 11 charges in September. He was one of hundreds of people who stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.
Man pleads guilty to murder charge in 2012 Portland shooting
Zachary Phach, 33, will serve 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing Matthew Blanchard.
Maine’s new public defenders aim to close attorney shortage in rural areas
The five-member Rural Defender Unit is representing people in places like Aroostook and Washington counties, where many cannot afford – or find – a lawyer.
Alfred man charged with murder in wife’s killing pleads not guilty
James Crow, who was charged with murder in April, has a long history of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
New Maine wrongful death law ties cap on damages to inflation, extends time limit to sue
Gov. Janet Mills allowed the bill to become law Thursday without her signature. Another bill that would have extended the statute of limitations on medical negligence claims failed to get support.
New state legal defense director wants to bring young attorneys in to do ‘important work’
Jim Billings took over the reins of the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services last month, joining the agency that is severely struggling to find enough attorneys to represent poor Mainers.
Judge denies request to throw out evidence in decade-old murder trial
Zachary Phach, 33, is scheduled to be tried beginning July 17 on a murder charge in the death of Matthew Blanchard in 2012.