We’re heading to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in our fight to uphold the right to counsel for people who cannot afford their own attorney in our case Robbins v. State of Maine.
Earlier this year, we won an order from the trial court requiring the state to provide attorneys and establish a plan to end this ongoing crisis – but the state appealed, putting solutions on hold. The Constitution requires states to provide attorneys to people who have been charged with a crime and cannot afford their own, but Maine has been failing to meet that obligation for years.
Watch the arguments live on Tuesday, October 7, at 10 a.m. You can also attend the arguments in person at Upper Kennebec Valley High School in Bingham. (Since 2005, the Law Court has held many arguments at high schools around the state so students and communities throughout Maine can see how the court works up close. Learn more about the court's High School Sessions here.)