Many court-appointed defense lawyers in Massachusetts may stop doing the work Tuesday, which could cause a crisis for criminal defendants and the courts who seek their work.
Lawyers who work through the state's Bar Advocate Program cover approximately 80% of court-appointed work, when the court appoints an attorney for an indigent, or poor, client. "We don't treat court-appointed clients differently than private pay clients," explained lawyer Sean Delaney. "Everyone's the same, because we all believe in the U.S. Constitution and the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights."
Bar Advocates, or private attorneys who do occasional contracted work for the state, cover the majority of court-appointed defense work, with the rest covered by CPCS, or the state's full time public defender's program.
These lawyers represent clients in a range of circumstances, including ones with "mental health issues, substance abuse, people who are concerned with a family member or a loved one that has a serious drug or alcohol problem," explained lawyer Jennifer O'Brien.
A large number of these bar advocates will stop working on Tuesday, May 27, in a grassroots work stoppage as the group demands better pay.
Right now, for work in Massachusetts District Court, these lawyers are paid $65 an hour. In neighboring New Hampshire, they make $125 an hour, in Maine the rate is $150 per hour, and in Rhode Island, the rate is $112 an hour.
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