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Committee narrows scope of public defense payments, clarifies indigency and Fifth Amendment counsel
Summary
LD 21‑94 was advanced with amendments to clarify which court‑appointed attorneys PDS must evaluate and compensate: emancipation petitions, child‑protection counsel for children and parents, yellow/red flag hearings, involuntary commitment/treatment, and Fifth Amendment counsel limited to indigent nonparty witnesses in listed case types. The committee asked staff to draft technical language and to obtain a fiscal note.
The joint Judiciary committee voted to advance LD 21‑94 with a set of technical amendments that clarify when the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services (PDS) is responsible for evaluating, training, supervising and compensating court‑appointed attorneys.
Janet presented the bill’s six categories of added coverage: (1) counsel for juveniles who petition for emancipation and request appointment; (2) counsel for a child who is the subject of a child protection proceeding (separate from guardian ad litem); (3) counsel for respondents at final hearings under the yellow‑flag weapons…
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