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Justice for Children Task Force details recruitment efforts, law‑student pilot and billing improvements
Summary
The task force reported steps to recruit and retain parent attorneys and guardians ad litem, a conditional law‑student extern pilot for public defense that began Dec. 18, 2024, and an electronic voucher submission rollout to streamline guardian ad litem billing.
Caroline Hova, speaking for the Justice for Children Task Force, told the committee the task force'which the chief justice chairs'spent 2025 focused on recruitment and retention of parent attorneys and guardians ad litem, continuing education, and administrative improvements to reduce friction for court‑appointed counsel.
Hova said an exit‑interview protocol has been created for guardians ad litem who leave the roster and that the office of the attorney general and public defense services are sharing data to help understand attrition. She estimated the guardian ad litem roster at about 150 practitioners and said the roster generally meets demand now but is "just barely keeping up," especially in some more rural courts.
To expand capacity, the Supreme Judicial Court launched a conditional pilot beginning Dec. 18, 2024, authorizing law‑student externs to provide public defense under supervision; the pilot expires Sept. 5, 2026 and will be evaluated for extension. Hova said Maine Law has shown early interest and will provide data to the subcommittee.
The task force also flagged an administrative improvement: since Aug. 13 the judicial branch has transitioned to electronic submission of guardian ad litem vouchers through eFile Maine or ShareFile, which Hova said has improved voucher processing efficiency while broader electronic billing and portal access remain years away because of resource constraints in the judicial branch'notably the Maine eCourts rollout.
On training and continuing education, Hova described plans for a 2026 virtual conference focused on trial skills and an ethics session addressing artificial intelligence in child‑protection practice.
Hova closed by urging continued attention to attorney recruitment and retention and to sharing subcommittee findings with the task force and the committee.
