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Judge rebukes slow district attorney’s office as prosecutors across Maine deal with high caseloads

Earlier this year, a Somerset County judge ruled District Attorney Maeghan Maloney's office acted in `bad faith` after failing to provide discovery in Derek Sicard's six-count trafficking case.
Prosecutors say their offices are understaffed and overwhelmed by complex cases and digital evidence, and Maeghan Maloney blamed heavy caseloads of over 300 active cases per prosecutor.
The judge excluded key evidence, noting the exclusion of officer testimony and defendant's cell phone in Somerset and six months' delay revealing the lead officer was disciplined six times.
Defense attorneys warn that discovery lapses stall cases, require extra motions, and add to the system-wide backlog, while one judge ordered a new trial in 2023 though Garrett Toothaker later pleaded to a reduced charge.
There are no national standards for caseloads, and appellate attorney Rory McNamara urged the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to hold prosecutors accountable, warning courts will suffer without enforcement.

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Judge Rebukes Slow District Attorney’s Office as Prosecutors Across Maine Deal With High Caseloads

In September, a Somerset County judge took the unusual step of ruling that the office of District Attorney Maeghan Maloney engaged in “bad faith” when it failed to hand over evidence to a defendant in a drug case.

5 days ago·New York, United States

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