Charges dropped against more than 120 defendants in Massachusetts because they can’t get attorney

Retired judges seek higher pay for striking public defenders

BOSTON — More than 100 retired Massachusetts judges are demanding higher pay for public advocates amid a prolonged work stoppage that has led to charges against criminal defendants being dropped for a lack of legal representation.

Boston court dismisses more than 100 criminal cases amid lawyer work stoppage

Virtually all bar advocates are no longer accepting District Court cases due to a pay dispute with the state.

120 criminal cases dismissed in Massachusetts over attorney pay dispute - Washington Examiner

More than 100 criminal cases have been dismissed in Massachusetts during a strike by some defense attorneys.  For the past eight weeks, the majority of Massachusetts bar advocates, private attorneys who take court-appointed work paid for by the Commonwealth outside their typical private responsibilities, have stopped their work in protest of low pay and a shortage of lawyers in their field.  Boston Municipal Court Chief Justice Tracy-Lee Lyons i…

Governor urges bar advocates to get back to work amid public defender pay fight

Hundreds of attorneys stopped taking new court-appointed cases in May to protest their pay rates, which they say are far lower than neighboring states

120 cases dismissed in Boston amid public defender crisis

Over 120 criminal cases were dismissed in Boston as a public defender pay dispute leaves defendants without counsel, raising due process and safety concerns.

This pay dispute is turning into a public safety crisis - The Boston Globe

Courts are starting to free defendants, including some accused of violent crimes, because there are no lawyers available to represent them.