The federal government shutdown is entering its fourth week, but for attorneys like Heather Shaner, the pinch of not having a paycheck began months ago.

Shaner is among thousands of court-appointed attorneys who represent low-income federal defendants, but she’s been working without pay since the federal program funding that effort ran out of money in July.

Shaner, who practices in D.C., said she’s owed more than six figures in back pay.

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“Of what I have filed and what has been approved - $127,000,” Shaner told the News4 I-Team. “That’s for two, three years of work for multiple clients.”

Shaner is what’s called a Criminal Justice Act panel attorney – a private attorney who steps in to represent a federal defendant when

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