Maine judges are holding weekly hearings for poor Mainers who can’t find a court-appointed attorney. But in the last six months, the number of people waiting has grown from 100 to more than 630.
ACLU of Maine
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, News
ACLU allowed to add Maine attorney general to lawsuit on indigent defense
A court on Thursday granted the ACLU’s petition to add Attorney General Aaron Frey to a suit that accuses the state of failing to provide lawyers to poor Mainers.
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Posted inLocal & State
Maine’s high court upholds order calling for trial over indigent defense crisis
Lawyers for the state had appealed a ruling from Superior Justice Michaela Murphy that ordered the ACLU and Maine’s indigent defense agency to be ready for trial in June.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, Maine Crime, News
‘RoboCop’ security systems pop up in Maine as concerns over retail theft rise
The flashing blue lights atop poles in some Maine parking lots are designed to deter criminals, but some question the balance of safety vs. privacy.
Posted inLocal & State, News
ACLU of Maine names new executive director
Molly Curren Rowles will replace Arthur Padilla. Curren Rowles previously led the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine and worked on complex legal issues with Pine Tree Legal Assistance.
Posted inLocal & State, News
ACLU’s updated lawsuit challenges legality of holding unrepresented, jailed Mainers
The governor, the attorney general and other state leaders have been included in the amended complaint and have a week to object to being added as defendants in the lawsuit targeting the state’s indigent defense system.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics, Religion and Values, Schools and Education
Federal judge rejects Bangor school’s request to scrap anti-discrimination law ahead of trial
Crosspoint Church accused Maine of discriminating against religious schools whose policies violate the state’s Human Rights Act. The state says giving them taxpayer dollars would allow discrimination against students.
Posted inLocal & State
Judge again rejects settlement, orders trial for ACLU’s suit against Maine’s indigent defense system
Superior Justice Michaela Murphy said a proposed settlement failed to address the elephant in the room – the growing number of low-income criminal defendants in Maine who are waiting weeks and months, sometimes in jail, for court-appointed attorneys.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Schools and Education
Caribou High School to use fingerprinting to track student attendance
The Maine Chapter of the Maine ACLU criticizes the Aroostook County school district’s decision on Tuesday, saying using biometrics to track students raises serious privacy concerns.
Posted inLocal & State
Judge appears wary of settlement that state, ACLU say could help poor Mainers obtain legal representation
Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy again expressed doubt that a proposed settlement could help more poor Mainers access criminal defense lawyers.