Maine
Maine chief justice tells lawmakers courts are understaffed, judges lowest-paid in U.S.
AUGUSTA (WGME) — Maine’s top judge used her annual “State of the Judiciary” address to lawmakers to spotlight ongoing staffing shortages in the court system and to renew concerns about judicial pay.
Maine Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill delivered the address today in the Legislature. She told lawmakers Maine’s courts remain understaffed, a problem she said has persisted for years.
Stanfill also said Maine’s judges are the lowest-paid in the country. “If we could only do something about judicial salaries, which are [ranked] 51st in the country,” Stanfill said.
She said Maine’s courts are making strides in hiring, but there is still a need for staff across the board, especially court marshals.