Bill > LD1801

This bill makes several technical changes to the laws governing the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services. It modifies definitions for "employed counsel" and "public defender" by removing language specifying that these attorneys provide legal services "directly to persons who are eligible to receive" indigent legal services, instead simply referencing them as providing "indigent legal services" in civil, criminal, and juvenile proceedings. The bill also expands the commission's mandate to develop a system that employs attorneys and contracts with legal professionals to provide "high-quality, effective and efficient indigent legal services". Additionally, the bill creates a new provision allowing the commission to maintain confidentiality of training and evaluation materials related to assigned counsel, employed counsel, public defenders, and contract counsel, while permitting their dissemination as necessary to fulfill the commission's duties. Finally, the bill modifies court record disclosure requirements, allowing the court to disclose confidential records to the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services upon request, specifically for the purposes of assigning, evaluating, or supervising counsel. These changes appear to be primarily technical in nature, aimed at clarifying and streamlining the commission's operations and legal framework.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1801&snum=132