AUGUSTA (AP) — Attorneys in Maine appointed to defend people who can’t afford a lawyer will have to wait nearly two months to get paid after state funding ran out.
The Portland Press Herald reported (http://bit.ly/2q1ryKN ) court-appointed lawyers won’t get paid until the new fiscal year, which starts July 1.
John Pelletier, executive director of the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services, said lawmakers didn’t set aside enough money in the two-year budget but had said they would fill the gap, if necessary.
Lawmakers approved $15.5 million for indigent defense for the fiscal year ending June 30, less than the $18.4 million the commission recommended.
Pelletier said money also ran out in 2013, but lawmakers were able to fund the shortfall before the fiscal year ended.
Copy the Story Link
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.