Hancock County probate judge suspended from practicing law
William Blaisdell was previously placed on probation by the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar, which regulates attorneys in Maine.
The Board opened an investigation into Blaisdell last year after a Belfast judge found him in contempt last year for refusing to comply with court orders.
Blaisdell was allowed to continue to practice law, with some supervision, as long as he fully complied with the court orders. But he hasn't done that, according to an order by Superior Justice James Martemucci that was posted Friday.
"The Board has already demonstrated, and Blaisdell has agreed, that Blaisdell has committed violations of the Maine Rules of Professional Conduct," Martemucci wrote on April 7.
"His non-compliance with the Order of this Court, without cause, demonstrates that Blaisdell threatens imminent injury to the public and to the interests of justice."
Martemucci also signed an order appointing two attorneys, Paul Driscoll and Daniel Pileggi, to take over Blaisdell's cases.
The suspension means he can no longer do his judicial work.
Blaisdell was suspended from overseeing probate court last fall, but was allowed to resume in January.
He was also previously barred from accepting cases through the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services, which oversees the representation of defendants who are entitled to a lawyer but can't afford one on their own.
Copy the Story Link
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Bill limiting use of sales tax passes
GUILFORD COUNTY — Voters will be asked again to approve a sales tax increase of 0.25% of a penny for every $1 of sales, but this time legislation dictates how the revenue must be spent if the increase is approved. House Bill 305 was amended by Sen. Phil Berger Sr., R-Rockingham and Senate president pro tem, to set parameters on how the revenue, estimated at $28.7 million a year, would be allocated, with most of it going for teacher pay. The bill passed the General Assembly this week. The Guilford County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously in mid-June to place the sales tax referendum issue on the November 2026 general election ballot. A little more than a week after the commissioners' action, Berger amended House Bill 305 to address the sales tax proposal. Berger, whose legislative district includes Guilford County and some precincts in High Point, has said he placed directives on allocating the tax revenue to assure Guilford County voters on how the money would be spent. Although the county commissioners have pledged that all revenue raised by the proposed sales tax increase would go to teacher pay, there was no provision in state law preventing the money from being directed to other purposes. 'House Bill 305 now provides them with information so they can make an educated decision,' Berger previously said. If the proposed tax increase is approved by voters and raises $28.7 million, this is how the money would have to be allocated, according to the new legislation: • Teacher pay supplements in Guilford County Schools, $19.2 million. • Guilford County Fire and Rescue Council for equipment purposes and capital expenditures, $5.5 million. • Guilford Technical Community College capital projects, $2.7 million. • Allocations for Whitsett, Summerfield, Stokesdale, Pleasant Garden and Oak Ridge, $1.3 million. Berger's allocation approach apparently was the first time that has been applied in North Carolina to a sales tax referendum. Whether it will change how Guilford County voters view the proposal is uncertain. Voters have rejected the same proposed sales tax increase six times in the past 20 years, most recently in the November 2024 general election. Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
a day ago
- Associated Press
Law school grad has medical emergency and collapses during bar exam in New York
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A law school graduate collapsed while taking the bar exam in a New York City suburb this week, prompting an emergency response as other aspiring lawyers worked on their exams. But some Reddit users claiming they were among the test-takers Wednesday say they're upset the exam wasn't halted outright. Hofstra University spokesperson Terry Coniglio said Friday that the test-taker collapsed shortly before a scheduled lunch break at the Long Island campus. Hofstra Public Safety officers immediately provided life saving emergency care, including CPR and defibrillation, until paramedics arrived and transported them to a local hospital, she said. The New York State Board of Law Examiners, which administers the exam, said the medical emergency occurred 'only a few minutes' before the end of the exam's morning session and staff promptly contacted emergency responders. 'The exam concluded as our staff was obtaining medical aid for the candidate,' the Friday statement said. 'As soon as the exam ended the proctors collected the exams and the candidates were dismissed from the room so that EMTs could provide the needed medical care to the candidate.' The university and the state board wished the law candidate, who has not been named, a speedy recovery. The board said it is also continuing to review what happened, including which candidates may have been impacted, and 'will formulate an appropriate response in due course.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Trump's anti-DEI order sparks new federal funding guidance in Washington County
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Washington County has approved guidelines aimed at helping officials maintain critical funding amid President Donald Trump's anti-diversity, equity and inclusion policies. One of several established that entities with DEI practices would no longer be eligible for funding from the U.S. government. After several months of talks centered on how to preserve federal grants and other financial support, the Washington County Board of Commissioners voted to approve guiding principles during a meeting on Tuesday. CDC delves into bubonic plague case detected in Oregon in early 2024 The new guidance states that leaders will continue to operate 'in a transparent and open manner' while complying with federal, state and local regulations, among . Earlier in June, the its February 2020 commitment to DEI practices in response to the executive order. following pushback from several residents who argued leaders of the diverse county shouldn't adhere to the Trump administration's demands. However, County Administrator Tanya Ange noted that officials rely on $135 million in federal funding annually — and July through August is typically the period in which grants and contracts are renewed. Senior Medicare services administered through the Oregon Department of Human Services and overdose prevention programs managed by the Oregon Health Authority are among the resources that are currently 'at risk' as local officials wait to learn whether funding has been secured, according to Ange's . Despite uncertainty surrounding which resources will remain accessible in the county, some community members are arguing the new guidelines are too vague to ensure the protection of all residents. 'Simply changing the wording may not be enough to get the federal funds that we need, or maybe the wording is enough, but the resolution you pass is ambiguous enough to open the door for these funds to be made available for purposes they were not intended for — for not serving the under-resourced members of our community,' one testifier said. Ritz-Carlton in Portland sold back to lender to 'strengthen' struggling property District 1 Commissioner Nafisa Fai proposed an amendment that would have changed the guidelines to include language about Oregon's sanctuary state status, and to affirm that all Washington County residents would still have the right to access resources despite discrimination. When no other leaders voted to second the proposal, a decision that was met with 'boos' from attendees of the public hearing, District 4 Commissioner Jason Willey said legal counsel had already advised the county against changing the resolution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
