AUGUSTA, Maine — Following a somber tone from prior years, Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill explained her positive outlook Wednesday to improve Maine's courts in her State of the Judiciary address.
"Indeed I am hopeful ... hopeful that with new resources we can continue to create a justice system that meets the needs of Maine people in the twenty-first century," Justice Stanfill said.
First addressing prior concerns being worked on, Justice Stanfill shared the continuous efforts to catch up from backlogged pending cases from the pandemic. Right now, only 40 percent of the cases delayed by COVID are still pending, compared to 60 percent around this time last year.
To continue efforts, strides to hire public defenders remain a roadblock to progress. In her address, Justice Stanfill explained that even pay raises to certain positions have not made a dent to remedy the problem.
"The bar is greying, people are getting older [or] retiring and so we do need more lawyers," Maine State Bar Association President Jonathan Dunitz said, who listened in on the address.
He said alongside hiring more judges, clerks, and marshals, finding people to staff and represent clients in more rural areas has also become a growing issue.
Another major focus of Justice Stanfill's address is investments in up-to-date tech in the courtroom. With many court hearings now taking place over video, and evidence coming from security footage, social media, and the like, she said keeping up with infrastructure can help courtrooms run smoother.
"Technology is no longer a luxury, it's not an afterthought, it has to be a part of the infrastructure," Justice Stanfill said.
A bill looking to address those infrastructure needs is LD 2090, "An Act to Modernize and Consolidate Certain Court Facilities." Presented by Sen. Nicole Grohowski of Hancock County, if passed, she said the bill would help alleviate outgrown judicial buildings in the city of Ellsworth, as well as for district and superior courts in Somerset and Androscoggin counties.
"I think what is really striking is how they've just really run out of room. Some files are stored in staff bathrooms...," Sen. Grohowski explained of the Ellsworth Judicial Center. "I think the time has come for Hancock, Somerset, and Androscoggin counties and I think the [judiciary] committee will support that."