More than one hundred twenty criminal cases were dismissed at the Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday due to a shortage of public defenders, after the city’s work stoppage by bar advocates over pay reached a critical stage .

Chief Justice Tracy‑Lee Lyons applied the Lavallee protocol, which requires charges to be dropped against defendants who lack representation for forty‑five days, and mandates release from custody after seven days without counsel .

Most dismissed cases involved minor offences, though some included serious charges such as domestic violence and assaults on police officers .

Prosecutors voiced concern, describing the mass dismissals as a threat to public safety, and pledged to refile charges where possible .

Governor Maura Healey also emphasised the need for legal representation and urged a resolution to the crisis .

The disruption stems from bar advocates—private attorneys paid by the state—who halted accepting new indigent defence cases at the end of May, citing low hourly rates.

Their proposed pay increases were not included in the state’s fiscal year two thousand twenty‑six budget, which totals sixty point nine billion dollars .

The situation reflects a broader challenge in the United States, with states such as New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Oregon also grappling with public defender shortages, rising caseloads and low pay .