about
Valerie Adams grew up in Portland, Maine, and is a graduate of Deering High School. She received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College in 2008 and returned to her hometown to study law, graduating from Maine Law in 2014. Through a joint degree program, Valerie went on to receive a Master's in Policy, Planning, and Management from the Muskie School of Public Policy in 2015 and subsequently began her legal practice.
Valerie worked as a defense attorney in Southern Maine from 2015 until 2021, then as an immigration attorney from 2021 until 2023, and subsequently as an Assistant District Attorney from 2023 until 2025. Currently, Valerie is working in the area of indigent criminal defense.
Valerie lives in Pownal with her husband and their two small children.
Valerie’s priorities
refocus efforts on serious violent crimes
The Cumberland County DA's Office handles about 10,000 cases each year. To be effective advocates, we need to clearly distinguish between cases that warrant the most serious treatment and those that are better handled through diversionary programs. Diverting less-serious cases will also free up resources to prosecute serious and violent offenses.
What would this look like?
Fewer motions to revoke bail. When someone is on bail and violates a condition of their release, the prosecutor typically files a motion to revoke bail, asking that the person be held in jail while the case is pending. The problem that arises is that in many of these cases, the prosecutor does not actually believe the person needs to be held without bail, but rather needs bail conditions amended, and ultimately withdraws the motion. This sends the wrong message to the court. We can file motions to revoke in fewer cases -- the most serious cases -- or we can ask that defendants be summoned to court for bail amendments rather than asking that they be arrested and held. Not only will this lead ot more effective advocacy, but it will also free up law enforcement resources.
Diverting less serious cases to preserve prosecutorial resources for more serious ones. Prosecutors in Cumberland County carry about 350 to 500 cases at any time. By expanding and standardizing diversion opportunities, these prosecutors will have more time to devote to litigating the most serious cases.
Considering alternatives before asking for incarceration. When is incarceration appropriate? What else might better serve our community? By limiting the cases in which we demand a disposition that includes incarceration, we will be more successful in advocating for those tough sentences before the court. We will also be better able to stand firm. In too many cases, prosecutors take a firm stance at the outset only to fold on the eve of trial. Again, this sends the wrong message to the court, leading to ineffective advocacy.
expand diversion opportunities
As ministers of justice, prosecutors are responsible for far more than convictions. Offering diversion opportunities allows offenders a chance at redemption. They allow for accountability and healing. They can be a tool for reducing recidivism through evidence-based practices rather than heavy sanctions.
What would this look like?
Creating a formal pre-charge diversion program. Did you know that a criminal charge can carry significant consequences, even absent a conviction? This is a particularly relevant issue right now, as one group that commonly sees this impact is non-citizens. The Lakin Reilly Act, passed in 2025, requires that even people who are lawfully present be held in immigration detention without bond if they are charged with crimes as minimal as shoplifting. People summoned for low-level, non-violent misdemeanors should have a chance to avoid criminal charges altogether by completing certain requirements prior to the filing of a criminal complaint. Cumberland County does not currently have a pre-charge diversion program. All diversion opportunities are offered after someone has been charged. Charges impact not only non-citizens, but everyone. Can you recall the last time you filled out an application that asked whether you had ever been charged with a crime? For so many people, the charge itself follows them despite later being offered an alternative.
Working to expand existing diversion programs. Many states have formal diversion courts for Operating Under the Influence or "OUI" offenders. We do not. I will work to establish a formal OUI court for first-time offenders. While this will take time, I will immediately institute standards for diversion within the current structure so that outcomes for similarly situated defendants remain consistent throughout the office.
Standardizing existing diversion programs. Prosecutors have significant discretion, which is generally a good thing. It means that each case can be examined individually and each offender treated individually, which leads to more just outcomes. However, prosecutors have different opinions and priorities, and that sometimes means that similarly situated defendants are not treated the same way. Prosecutors should always have discretion as to whether to offer a diversionary opportunity, but when those offers are made, they should, by and large, be consistent. This means establishing templates and guidelines for prosecutors to use.
work collaboratively with law enforcement and community partners
The criminal justice system alone cannot fix mental illness, poverty, and substance use disorders. We — the District Attorney, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders — need to work together to identify issues in our community and come up with creative solutions.
We can work together as a community to better understand our options and limitations. There are so many issues that cannot be effectively addressed by a single institution. But by working together, we can make positive changes that will not only result in a reduction in crime but also in more just outcomes for the individuals — victims and defendants — involved.
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