For Jurists
Like all legal professionals, jurists can experience substance abuse, stress and burnout, mental illness, and cognitive decline. Dr. Joseph Sadek of Dalhousie University recently noted that “judicial officers generally have the stress of being responsible for the ultimate decisions that significantly impact people’s lives, and they face the stressors of an intellectually demanding job, a high workload and intense media scrutiny. They are also regularly exposed to distressing material and have limited opportunities to interact with colleagues.”
Many jurists, however, feel that their position would be compromised or threatened if they were to seek help. This is an understandable fear: jurists are subject to a high level of scrutiny, from within the courtroom and also from outside of it. Nevertheless, it is just as important for members of the bench to seek help as it is for any other person, both for their own well-being and for the good of their crucially important work.
MAP can work with jurists on how best to address most anything impacting the practice of law, including:
- Concerns about their own substance use, mental health, or cognition;
- Concerns about another jurist or an attorney’s substance use, mental health, or cognition;
- Connecting jurists to other jurists for confidential peer support;
- Provider and clinician referrals;
- Navigating sobriety as a jurist and seeking support and treatment; and
- Crisis situations.
A note about confidentiality: MAP’s phone line and email address are monitored by the Executive Director only, and all information obtained and actions taken by MAP are held in the strictest confidence, per M.R. Assistance Program for Lawyers 8. MAP does not have disclosure obligations to any outside entity, including the Committee on Judicial Conduct, the Board of Overseers of the Bar, or the court system.
If you would like to discuss any of the above, or other issues relating to issues jurists face, please call MAP’s 24/7 confidential number: (207) 266-5951.
