Consumer Law
The ACLU Alleges Inequities in Maine’s Public Defender System
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine sued the system that provides attorneys to those who can’t afford them on Tuesday, saying it fails to provide adequate representation.
The class action lawsuit contends there’s a failure to train, supervise and adequately fund a system to ensure the constitutional right to effective counsel for defendants. It seeks changes to ensure acceptable representation for low-income Maine residents.
“This failure has created two systems of justice: one for the wealthy, and one for the poor,” said Zachary Heiden, chief counsel at the ACLU of Maine.
