Nearly 1,000 Maine criminal cases are waiting for lawyers

By Marie Weidmayer, Bangor Daily News Staff

Nearly 1,000 cases across Maine do not have lawyers assigned.

Low-income people — who are either in jail or out on bail — are stuck waiting for weeks or even months for an attorney and court dates, which lawyers and the Maine ACLU have said violates their Sixth Amendment rights.

Only 74 adult criminal cases were without lawyers in October, a number that has skyrocketed in the months since.

There are 839 adult criminal cases waiting for a lawyer to be assigned as of July 15. There are 100 cases for protective custody, guardianship, emancipation and juveniles, according to the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services.

A total of 149 people are still in jail while waiting for a lawyer to be assigned as of July 8, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine.