缅因州最高法院辩论支持释放被告, 原因是公设辩护人因资金不足而拖延。 Maine's top court debates upholding release of defendants due to public defender delays caused by underfunding.

缅因州最高司法法院正在权衡是否支持下级法院释放被告和驳回指控的计划,因为长期拖延指派公设辩护人,这是2022年美国公民自由联盟诉讼引发的危机。 Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court is weighing whether to uphold a lower court’s plan to release defendants and dismiss charges due to prolonged delays in assigning public defenders, a crisis stemming from a 2022 ACLU lawsuit. 2022年建立的国家公设辩护系统面临长期资金不足,截至2025年10月底,有近500个案件没有律师。 The state’s public defense system, established in 2022, faces chronic underfunding, leaving nearly 500 cases without counsel as of late October 2025. 高等法院法官Michaela Murphy裁定,超过14天的指定律师和60天的指控被拖延,违反了宪法权利,促使释放和解雇计划,尽管这些计划仍被搁置。 Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy ruled that delays beyond 14 days for attorney assignment and 60 days for charges to be filed violate constitutional rights, prompting release and dismissal plans—though they remain on hold. 该州认为该裁决越权，而美国公民自由联盟则表示它保护了权利和公共安全。 The state argues the ruling overreaches, while the ACLU says it protects both rights and public safety. 法院在宾汉姆的一所高中听取了辩论,但没有确定决定日期。 The court heard arguments at a high school in Bingham, with no decision date set.