The state’s failing to recruit enough attorneys, some say; others blame prosecutors for filing too many cases. Everyone agrees it’s a crisis.
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.
Posted inLocal & State, News
High court chief justice says Maine must invest in tech and staff to solve system’s backlog
Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill told lawmakers Wednesday that the courts need more staff and resources. And the courts can’t pay for it without help.
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Posted inLocal & State
Maine man sues Bangor YMCA for allegedly failing to stop sexual abuse in 1970s
Wayne Quimby said he was 13 when his basketball coach sexually assaulted him after practice, 5 years after the coach had been charged with a sex-related crime.
Posted inLocal & State
Maine Trust for Local News asks court to unseal records in lottery winner’s lawsuit
Most documents in a lawsuit the Mega Millions winner filed last fall are under seal, preventing the public from accessing valuable information.
Posted inCops & Courts, Local & State, News
Judge denies motions to throw out evidence, statements before Standish man’s murder trial
Attorneys for Brandon Libby argued this month that prosecutors couldn’t use statements he made to police before he was read his Miranda rights. Superior Court Justice MaryGay Kennedy, however, ruled those statements were fair game because they were made voluntarily.
Posted inCops & Courts, Local & State
Federal appeals court upholds dismissal of 2017 lawsuit against Biddeford police
Susan Johnson and Jocelyne Welch alleged that a Biddeford police officer’s actions led landlord James Pak to shoot and kill their teenage children in 2012.
Posted inLocal & State
As problems at Long Creek persist, staffing shortages forced the state to close 2 alternative sites for juveniles
The Maine Department of Corrections tells lawmakers it had to halt operations at 2 homes last year because it couldn’t find enough workers, compounding ongoing issues at the state’s only youth detention facility.
Posted inCops & Courts, Local & State
Kennebunk doctor accused of illegal prescribing argues feds can’t use patient records
Dr. Merideth Norris says much of the state’s case against her is built on evidence seized using a bad search warrant. Her attorneys want the evidence tossed out.
Posted inCops & Courts, Local & State
Man who set up deadly Woodford Street robbery to serve 8 years in prison
Prosecutors described Anthony Osborne as the ‘catalyst’ in the shooting that killed Derald Coffin in April 2022.
Posted inLocal & State
Woman says Maine’s Mega Millions winner is using lawsuit to pressure her in child custody case
Maine’s biggest lottery winner sued the mother of his child last fall, alleging she violated a non-disclosure agreement to protect his identity. The woman says he’s falsely accusing her in order to get custody of their child.