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Lawyers for Maine’s Poor Face Months With No Pay as State Fund Dies Up

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It’s become a chronic problem in Maine:  The state has failed to provide enough resources for court-appointed attorneys who represent low income clients.  This year, the funding has dried up two months early. That means lawyers who’ve been selected to handle criminal defense, juvenile, child custody and civil commitment cases won’t get paid until the new fiscal year begins July 1.  Some of those lawyers are thinking about the best way to respond. This month, defense attorney Jim Howaniec of Lewiston is expecting to undertake what could be a a three-week-long trial involving a Somali couple charged with welfare fraud.  The state has designated 62 witnesses in the case.  The defense has 24.  And, Howaniec says, there are 264 exhibits – thousands of pages of documents.  So, it’s going to be complicated.  And expensive.”

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