Machado v. Leahy

Plaintiffs are eleven of approximately 2,500 attorneys who accept assignments from the Private Counsel Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) to represent persons constitutionally entitled to counsel at the Commonwealth’s expense in criminal prosecutions and certain civil matters. Plaintiffs filed this action claiming that the compensation rates set and paid by CPCS, subject to legislative appropriation, are inadequate, leaving plaintiffs unfairly underpaid, overburdened, and less able to provide constitutionally required representation. They brought this action against…