An Act To Extend The Requirement That The Maine Commission On Public Defense Services Compensate Certain Private Attorneys Appointed To Provide Indigent Legal Services

This Maine bill reinstates a recently expired law that requires the state's public defense commission to pay private attorneys appointed by courts to represent people who cannot afford legal representation. The measure directly affects indigent defendants and civil parties in District, Superior, and Supreme Judicial Court cases where no standard public defender or contract counsel is available. Under the new provisions, a court may appoint a qualified private attorney with at least three years of relevant experience, provided the attorney agrees to take the case and meets specific eligibility criteria. The commission must compensate these appointed attorneys at rates equivalent to those paid to assigned counsel, while its supervisory role is limited to handling complaints from the clients they represent. This requirement is set to expire on February 1, 2028, serving as a two-year extension of the previous mandate.