Experts Say It Could Take 15 Years To Fix Maine’s Trial Backlog
The surge in the number of pending criminal cases across the state is worsened by the fact that fewer defense lawyers are accepting court-appointed cases to defend indigent clients.
Landwebs
Defense attorneys and prosecutors in Maine are skeptical that a so-called “trial blitz” planned for the fall will be enough to get Maine’s stalled criminal justice system moving again and accelerate the resolution of enough cases, reports the Bangor Daily News. The surge in the number of pending criminal cases across the state since the forced court shutdowns during the pandemic is worsened by the fact that fewer defense lawyers are accepting court-appointed cases to defend indigent clients.
A shortage of judicial marshals also means Maine courts can’t physically accommodate the numbers of trials they need to to work through the backlog. According to experts, it would take 15 years to clear the backlog in Washington County alone if the county continues, as it has recently, to set aside five days a quarter for jury trials, unless district attorneys and police agree to dismiss non-violent misdemeanor and civil violations. Maine is the only state without public defenders for low-income clients, relying instead relies on a roster of lawyers in private practice to take court-appointed cases.
