Consultant Jeffrey Evangelos’ op-ed last week raised an vital problem: the style through which Maine’s legal professional basic is appointed, and whether or not this course of retains Maine’s legal professional basic appropriately accountable to Maine individuals.
Maine is the one state the place the state legislature elects the legal professional basic. This implies roughly 93 individuals (the quantity required for a majority vote) resolve who will occupy not solely some of the vital positions in state authorities, however some of the vital leaders straight impacting Maine residents and their rights inside the authorized system.
Most states have a popularly elected legal professional basic, utilizing the identical democratic course of that empowers the individuals to decide on their representatives. In Maine’s eight prosecutorial districts, district attorneys are additionally elected by well-liked vote. These elections for high regulation enforcement officers create a layer of accountability that needs to be inherent in a good and equal system of justice.
The opposite troubling reality is the exclusivity in appointing Maine’s legal professional basic by state legislature. During the last forty years, each legal professional basic within the state of Maine has been a former member of the Maine Legislature. It’s clear that legislative candidates monopolize the method to the exclusion of different Maine individuals.
Maine’s file of being the one U.S. state with zero exonerations in severe felony post-conviction appeals factors to a regarding unilateral authority by Maine’s legal professional basic. It might be time to think about amending our structure to permit for the direct election of legal professional basic, guaranteeing the chief of Maine’s justice system is consultant of and accountable to the residents of Maine.
Severin Beliveau
Founding accomplice of regulation agency Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios
Portland
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