FORECLOSURE DIVERSION: The Foreclosure Diversion Program (FDP) in the Maine courts gives lenders and homeowners in foreclosure a chance to explore other options and work out their differences. In mediation both parties, with the help of a neutral mediator, talk about whether it is possible to avoid a foreclosure on the property. Some other options include a loan modification or short sale.
BUSINESS and CONSUMER COURT, The Business and Consumer Court , also known as the BCD, is a statewide docket comprised of selected actions involving business and /or consumer disputes, and shall be managed by two judges from either trial court designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court
TIP: Decisions posted on the Maine Judicial Branch Website: BCD Decisions
and the Cleaves Law Library website
UNIFIED CRIMINAL DOCKET The Unified Criminal Docket (UCD) is a pilot project that turned a two-tiered system into a single efficient process for processing criminal actions and certain associated civil violation actions
DRUG TREATMENT COURTS:
The Maine Judicial Branch refers to its Drug Treatment Courts as "specialty dockets" in recognition of their unique focus on issues of substance abuse, mental illness, and criminal conduct. However, both in Maine and in most jurisdictions in the United States these dockets are referred to as Courts
Drug Treatment Courts: Drug Treatment Courts FAQ, Adult Drug Treatment Court, Family Treatment Drug Treatment Courts, Co-Occurring Disorders and Veterans Court
Case Law -- Federal
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Reports (official), cases from 1790 to date, U.S. Government Printing Office.
Supreme Court Reporter, 1790 to 1988, Thomson Reuters - West Renamed West's Supreme Court Reporter from 1988 to date.
U.S. Reports, L.Ed., cases from 1790 to 1912; 2d series from 1935 to date. Lawyers Cooperative Pub. (now Lexis).
U.S. Supreme Court Decisions or U.S. Supreme Court -- Cornell University gateway
* Commercial online access is available on Westlaw.com at Cleaves; printing charges apply.
U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals
Federal Reporter, 1st (1880 to 1925), 2d (1927 to 1988) and 3rd (1993 to date). Thomson Reuters - West
West's Federal Appendix, cases 2001 to date. Thomson Reuters - West
First Circuit Court of Appeals, cases 2000 to date
* Commercial online access is available on Westlaw.com at Cleaves; printing charges apply.
U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
Federal Supplement, 1st (1933 to 1998), 2d (1999 to date). Thomson Reuters - West
TIP: Select decisions of the U.S. Magistrate Judges are published in the Federal Supplement.
U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, 1996 to date. "Search" site entry page.
* Commercial online access is available on Westlaw.com at Cleaves; printing charges apply.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine
West's Bankruptcy Reporter, 1980 to date. Bankruptcy cases decided in United States Bankruptcy Courts, United States District Courts, United States Courts of Appeals and Supreme Court of the United States. Thomson Reuters - West
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Opinions for the District of Maine, go to "Rules, Orders & Opinions section" under the listing section on the left bar)
* Commercial online access is available on Westlaw.com at Cleaves; printing charges apply.
U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the First Circuit
Miscellaneous Courts
Federal Rules Decisions, 1941 to date. Opinions, decisions and rulings involving the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Thomson Reuters - West
TIP: The F.R.D. -- in hardcopy only --includes federal rules amendments with notes, advisory committee reports, panel discussion reports, judicial conference reports, and other important resources for rules history and federal practice generally that are not on Westlaw.com or Lexis.com.
United States Claims Court Reporter, v.1-26(1983-1992); Federal Claims Reporter, v.27(1992 to date); Cases decided in the United States Claims Court (later renamed United States Court of Federal Claims) and decisions of the United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit and Supreme Court of the United States in review. Thomson Reuters - West
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (site includes index, decisions, orders and other information
Citators
Shepard's Maine Citations. Lexis Pub., updated quarterly
TIP#1: The hardcopy Shepard's Citations includes uncodified Laws of Maine, Private and Special Laws and Resolves. The superseded 1989 hardcopy Maine Shepard's includes select municipal ordinances, but this feature has been discontinued in the new edition. You can't search P&S. Laws, Resolves or municipal ordinances using the online Shepard's version.
Online cite checking is available from Keycite on Westlaw.com and Shepard's on Lexis.com at Cleaves; printing charges apply.
TIP#1: Shepard's citations are collected by human beings who read the decisions. Keycite citations are culled from a software program. Both databases have advantages and disadvantages. To be thorough and avoid embarrassing mistakes, check your work in both Shepard's and Keycite. Sometimes the results are very different!
Constitution
Constitution of the State of Maine from the Maine.gov website
Constitution of the United States of America, different sources, analysis, etc. from the Law Library of Congress
Court Administrative Orders
Administrative Orders of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, the Superior Court, the District Court, and the Administrative Office of the Courts
Court Fees
State
Maine Court Fees Schedule and Document Management Procedures
Federal
U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals -- Schedule of Fees
U.S. District Court for the District of Maine -- Fees
TIP: Go to the U.S. District Court's website for more fees including per diem rates, witness mileage rates and post judgment interest rates.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine -- Fees
Court Rules -- State
Maine Rules of Court – State, annual softbound with updates; Thomson Reuters - West
Maine Court Rules - State Edition, Official Publication of the Maine Judicial Branch, edited by Tower Pub.; annual softbound.
The General webpage for the Maine Judicial Branch Court Rules
Archives of Rules Amendments on the Cleaves Law Library website
Maine Rules of Professional Conduct
Maine Bar Rules
Maine Civil Legal Services Fund Commission Rules
Maine Code of Judicial Conduct
Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure with Advisory Committee notes
Maine Rules of Civil Procedure with Advisory Committee notes.
Maine Rules of the Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability
Unified Criminal Docket
Maine Rules of Evidence, with Advisory Notes.
Maine Rules for the Family Division of the Maine District Court -- Abrogated; Rules are replaced by Chapter XIII of the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure
Maine Rules for Guardian Ad Litem, Eff 9/1/15
Maine Rules for Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection
Maine Rules for the Maine Assistance Programs for Lawyers
Maine Rules of Probate Procedure
Maine Rules of Small Claims Procedure
TIP #1: Check here for recent updates on the Court's website.
Also, Cleaves posts rules amendments from 2007 to current
TIP #2: One of the benefits of a Cleaves membership is our listserv that alerts you to rule changes and other important court notices -- as well as information about library services
Court Rules -- Federal
Maine Rules of Court – Federal, West Pub; annual softbound with updates.
Maine Court Rules - Federal Edition, Tower Pub; annual softbound.
U.S. Supreme Court Rules
Federal Rules of Practice and Procedure
Federal First Circuit Court of Appeals Rule
Federal District Court for the District of Maine Local Rule
U.S. Bankruptcy Court -- District of Maine Local Rules
Digests
State
Maine Key Number Digest
Thomson Reuters - West; updated semi-annually.
TIP: Maine Key Number searching online is available at Cleaves on Westlaw.com; printing charges apply.
The Maine Digest: a digest of the reports of cases decided by the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, from 1 to 113 Maine reports, inclusive, by Fred F. Lawrence,
Little, Brown, 1916; continued by The Maine digest: a digest of the reports of cases decided by the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine from 114 to 146 Maine Reports, prepared under legislative order by the Office of the Attorney General, 1952.
Digest of the decisions of the Supreme Judicial Court, of the State of Maine, contained in Greenleaf's, Fairfield's, Appleton's, and Shepley's reports; and comprising twenty-six volumes of the Maine reports. [1820-1847] By Philip Eastman.
An index-digest of the reports of cases decided by the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, volumes 1 to 88, Maine reports inclusive. [1820-1896] By Albert R. Savage
Digest of the decisions of the Supreme Judicial Court, of the State of Maine, contained in volumes twenty-seven to forty-three, 1847-1857; by Wm. Wirt Virgin.
TIP: These old Maine digests are useful when you're researching legal terms and concepts that may be a bit archaic. Also, the digesting of older cases in these titles is sometimes superior to the Maine Digest published by Thomson Reuters - West
Maine Superior Court Digest, April 1986 to 2004, published by Maine Lawyers Review.
Federal
Federal Practice Digest, 1st, 2d, 3rd, 4th and 5thseries, Thomson Reuters - West
TIP: Federal Practice Digest searching online is available at Cleaves on Westlaw.com; printing charges apply.
Forms
State
Cowan, Casper F. Maine Real Estate Law and Practice. St. Paul, MN: Thomson Reuters - West This treatise includes some forms.
Creteau, Paul G. Maine Real Estate Law. Portland, ME: Castle Pub., 1969, revised through the 106th Legislature, 1975. This treatise includes some forms.
Cluchey, David P. and Michael D. Seitzinger. Maine Criminal Practice. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers. This treatise includes some forms. Last updated in 1995.
Devlin, Christopher J. and Mark K. Googins. Maine Commercial Lending Handbook Standish, ME: Tower Publishing Co. This treatise includes some forms and loan agreements. First edition, 2011,
Guffine, Johin P., ed. A Practical Guide to Discovery and Depositions in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2014
Humphrey, Hon. Thomas E., and William D. Robitzek A Practical Guide to Superior Court Practice in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2015
Hunt, Philip C. A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2012
Maine Probate Forms, rev. ed., Lexis Law Publishing.
Mitchell, James E. and Philip C. Hunt. Maine Probate Procedure. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers, updated yearly.
Pazar, Christopher E., editor, A Practical Guide to Residential Real Estate Transactions and Foreclosures in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2013.
Prescott, Dana E. Maine Family Law Forms, 3rd ed. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers.
Spanogle, John A. Maine Practice: Uniform Commercial Code Forms Annotated St. Paul, MN: Thomson Reuters - West 1966 with a 1974 pocket part.
Sullivan, Francis W. Maine Civil Officer with Forms. Boston: Boston Law Book Co., 1950.
Maine Court Forms online: (Civil and Family Matters, Money Judgments (MJ), Protection from Abuse (PA), Protective Custody, and Small Claims, Business Court. Click on the form type and the individual forms are expanded underneath.
HelpMELaw;
Legal information for low-income people in the State of Maine. This includes easy-to-read self-help information on topics such as divorce and tenants rights, Medicaid and food stamps, as well as information about free and low-cost legal services in Maine.
Pine Tree Legal's forms for the most common types of Family Law cases and motions, Protection from Abuse, Protection from Harassment cases and Small Claims cases
Federal
Bender's Federal Practice Forms, Lexis/Matthew Bender Pub. available at Cleaves.
West Federal Forms, Thomson West, available at Cleaves
U.S. District Court for the District of Maine -- Forms
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District Court of Maine -- Forms
Law Enforcement Organizations -- Maine
Maine Sheriff's offices, police departments and other law enforcement agencies
TIP: The Maine Bar Directory, published by Tower Publishing also has a list of Sheriff's Departments.
Legislative History -- Maine State
Cleaves has hundreds of compiled Maine Legislative histories. Please ask for details by emailing info@cleaves.org
Self Help Guide to Compiling a Maine Legislative History from the State Law and Legislative Law Library
Comprehensive bill information from the 120st Legislature (2001-2002) to the current is found in the Advanced Legislative Bill Search page.
* State Law & Legislative Reference Library State Law Library Digital Archive is an ongoing project. To date it includes:
“Laws”: Laws of Maine from 1820 through the most recent published volume. They are named by year, type of law, and chapter no.
“LDs”: Legislative documents and amendments from the 104th Legislature through the 125th. They are named by session, LD no., type of amendment and sequence, and amendment filing number.
“LegRec”: these are the source files for the Legislative Record archive, which is accessed better from here
“Rpts”: a growing collection of reports and other materials that are identified by the statute or law that they relate to; the majority of these are also linked from the relevant record in URSUS, which will probably be a handier finding tool
“RR”: early Reports of commissioners appointed to revise the statutes, from 1840 through 1929. These are divided and arranged by title.
“RS”: pre-1964 versions of the Revised Statutes from 1840 through 1954 (including the supplements to the R.S. of 1954). These are divided and arranged by chapter.
TIP: The largest collection of Maine State legislative history documents in Maine is at the State Law and Legislative Reference Library in Augusta, Tel: 207-289-1600, or Email. The staff provides excellent assistance with these searches. Cleaves has the second largest collection in the state, and we are also happy to assist you.
Hepler, Christine I., Researching Initiatives and Referenda: A Guide for Maine. Legal Reference Services Quarterly, volume 26, Numbers 3/4 2007, p. 97-112
Silsby, Samuel S., Jr., History of Statutory Law in the State of Maine. reprinted in Volume 1 M.R.S.A. pg. 1.
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network provides a new service called Maine Capital Connection ("MCC"). MCC provides live and digital delay coverage of the entire House and Senate proceedings and scores of public hearings, work sessions and news conferences by the governor, legislative leaders and various groups and organizations.
During the Legislative session, you can also listen to hearings and full Senate and House debate through the Legislature’s website.
Legislative History -- Federal
Compiling a Federal Legislative History from the Gallagher Law Library of the University of Washington School of Law
TIP: The largest collection of federal legislative history documents in Maine is at the Garbrecht Law Library, Tel: 207-780-4351. The staff provides excellent assistance with these searches.
Libraries -- Law
Donald L. Garbrecht Law Library at the University of Maine Law School, Portland
Nathan & Henry B. Cleaves Law Library, Portland
TIP: Cleaves doesn't have an online catalog. Go to Collection for links to our most popular hardcopy and online treatises and legal periodicals. Please email us with inquiries about our current holdings. Note: all online databases must be used in the library. We don't offer remote access.
Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, Augusta
URSUS -- includes Catalogs of the Garbrecht Law Library and State Law & Legislative Reference Library
Library Catalogs -- General
MINERVA (public library holdings)
Marvel! Research Databases free to the public (e.g. Maine Newsstand Newspaper Index with full text; Medline; Proquest Newspapers; MasterFile Premier and ERIC); (at logon type your local Maine library and your name)
WORLDCAT -- billions of items in 10,000 libraries worldwide
Municipal Codes
Municipal Codes from the Cleaves Law Library website -- alphabetical
Municipal Codes from the Garbrecht Law Library website -- listed by County
Maine Municipal Association list of municipal websites
TIP: Municipalities change their ordinances (and links to the ordinances and websites) frequently, and therefore it's hard to keep these compilations current. If a link on one site doesn't work, check the other two sites.
Periodicals/Law Reviews
COMP: the Maine Workers’ Compensation Journal, 1984 to 2009
Maine Bar Bulletin (1967-1985)
Maine Bar Journal Quarterly, 1986 to date
Maine Defender (MACDL) newsletter published infrequently
Maine Law Review v. 1-13 (1908-1920); v. 14 (1962 to date), biannual
Maine Lawyers Review Twice monthly, 1983 to date
TIP: The Maine Lawyers Review includes a survey of all recent decisions from the Maine Law Court, Maine Superior Court, First Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court, Bankruptcy Court and U.S. Supreme Court as well as recent rules amendments and adoptions.
Maine Verdicts publication of the MTLA, 1991 to 2009.
TIP: Cleaves offers access to the All Jury Verdicts database from Westlaw. This includes access to Maine Jury Verdicts. Please email us for details.
Ocean and Coastal Law Journal (formerly the Territorial Sea Journal, 1992-1993) published by the Marine Law Institute of UMaine Law (1994 to date)
School Law Advisory published by Drummond Woodsum; a quarterly newsletter containing clear and concise articles on legal issues of importance to school administrators.
The Supplement newsletter of the MSBA, 1998 to 2011
TIP: Annotations to the Maine Bar Bulletin, Maine Bar Journal and Maine Law Review are included in the Maine Revised Statutes Annotated, as well as Shepard's on Lexis.com and Keycite on Westlaw.com.
Regulations -- State
Code of Maine Rules, Lexis Pub., updated monthly.
* Commercial online access to the Maine Rules is available at Cleaves from Westlaw.com; printing charges apply.
Maine State Government Agency Regulations by department
Maine State Government Agency Regulations -- Changes.
TIP: Posting on the Secretary of State's website can be as much as a month behind or more. Check this Rules Changes site to make sure your rule hasn't changed and not been posted for the Agency or Department yet.
Guide to Maine State Government Rulemaking
Annual Regulatory Agendas -- Maine State Government Rulemaking
TIP: For old rules or certified copies, contact Don Wismer at the Secretary of State's Office. His contact information is Don.Wismer@maine.gov or 207-626-7647. For rules older that the 1990's contact the Maine State Archives Research Room at 207-287-5795 (Search Room) or 207-287-5792 (Records Center). You can also access Maine administrative rules from 2004 to date on Lexis.com in the Maine Administrative Code Archives database and 2002 to date on Westlaw.
Regulations -- Federal
Code of Federal Regulations. U.S. GPO, published annually.
TIP: Cleaves has a full set of hardcopy CFR's which is sometimes easier to use in book form.
GPO online public access to the Code of Federal Regulations, 1996 to date
List of Sections Affected to the Code of Federal Regulations
GPO public access to the Federal Register, 1994 to date
TIP: Few public libraries around the State have hardcopy versions of the Federal Register. However, the GPO website is the fastest and easiest way to access these daily federal rule changes by using the List of Sections Affected search tool. Don't forget, the publication of the rule in the Federal Register includes the history of the rule with a summary of the public comments received and other background information used to develop the rule. This information is not printed in the CFR. Lexis.com has FR coverage from 1980 to date and Westlaw.com has coverage from 1936 to date. These databases have search engines that are easier to use than the government website.
Statutes -- Maine State
Maine Revised Statutes Annotated--hardcopy with annual supplements, Thomson Reuters - West
Maine Revised Statutes (unannotated) annual, Thomson Reuters - West
Maine Legislative Service, pamphlets that include current session laws, Thomson Reuters - West
Maine Criminal Statutes --hardcopy annual pamphlet, Swan Island Press.
Maine Estate and Probate Law with Related Court Rules--hardcopy annual pamphlet, Thomson Reuters - West
Maine Family Law --hardcopy annual pamphlet, Thomson Reuters -West. Pub.
Maine Motor Vehicle Statutes -- hardcopy annual pamphlet, Swan Island Press.
Maine Session Laws available online through the Office of the Revisor of Statutes (118th Legislature, December 1996 to date)
Maine Statutes available online through the Maine Legislature
Current session information online through the Maine Legislature previous session information is also available starting in the late 1990's
TIP: Use the "Advanced Search" option in the upper right hand corner of the page.
* Commercial online access to the Maine Statutes is available at Cleaves from Westlaw.com; printing charges apply.
Statutes -- Federal
United States Code (official) Washington, D.C, U.S. G.P.O.
United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.) Thomson Reuters - West, updated frequently
United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.) Lexis Pub., updated frequently.
U.S. Code available through the G.P.O. website.
Current and past session information from Congress.gov
Treatises and Other Resources
Maine Municipal Association list of municipal website
TIP: Municipalities change their ordinances frequently, and therefore it's hard to keep these compilations current. If a link on one site doesn't work, check the other two sites.
TIP: This summary judgment comment was originally presented at a MSBA CLE in 2001. It's updated to include current rules amendments. This short practice guide is very helpful.
Maine Department of the Attorney General Opinions (also named Reports of the A.G., Annual Report of the A.G., etc.), 1859,1861-1867,1869-1873,1879-1884,1889,1931/32,1941/42-1972;1986 to date; gaps filled in by fiche.
TIP: Maine Attorney General Opinions appear in the annotations of the M.R.S.A. Coverage in Westlaw.com is 1977 to date. Coverage in Lexis.com is March 1980 to date.
Ferdico, John N., Maine Administrative Procedure. Salem, NH: Butterworth Pub. Co., 1986, last updated in 1990
Field Richard H., Vincent L. McKusick and L. Kinvin Wroth., Maine Civil Practice: Rules of
Civil Procedure with Commentaries, 2d ed. St. Paul: Thomson Reuters - West Co., 1970 supplement, 1981 by Charles A. Harvey, Jr., Raymond G. McGuire and L. Kinvin Wroth
Harvey, Charles, Maine Civil Practice, Third Edition. West Publishing, updated annually.
Horton, Hon. Andrew M. and Peggy L. McGehee, Maine Civil Remedies, 4th ed. Standish, ME: Tower Publishing, 2004.
Guffine, Johin P., ed., A Practical Guide to Discovery and Depositions in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2014
Humphrey, Hon. Thomas E., and William D. Robitzek, A Practical Guide to Superior Court Practice in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2015
Merritt, Thomas B. Trial Handbook for Maine Lawyers, 2007 with 2014 supplement, Thomson West, 2007
Murray, Peter L., Maine Evidence, 6th ed. Portland, ME: Maine Law Book Company, 2007
Sullivan, Francis W., Maine Civil Officer with Forms. Boston: Boston Law Book Company, 1950.
TIP: This two-volume title is full of hard-to-find forms.
Whitehouse, Robert Treat., Equity Jurisdiction, Pleading and Practice in Maine with forms and Precedents. Portland, Maine: Loring, Short & Harmon, 1900
Zillman, Donald N., Jack H. Simmons and David D. Gregory, Maine Tort Law, Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers, with a 2011 supplement.
CLE Materials -- Continuing Legal Education
URSUS -- includes Catalogs of the Garbrecht Law Library and State Law & Legislative Reference Library
TIP: To find CLE materials available in public law libraries in Maine first access URSUS. In the Author Search option, type "Maine State Bar Association. Continuing Legal Education" This will pull up 500+ materials. Then you can further limit the search by using the "Modify Search" tab. Or, in the Keyword Search option, type "Maine State Bar Association" and your specific terms, e.g. "title standards". This will pull up MSBA CLE's related to the Title Standards. Another search technique is to type "National Business Institute Maine" (anther organization that offers CLE's) and your specific terms, e.g. "real estate" in the Keyword Search option. This will pull up Maine CLE materials published by the National Business Institute. The Maine State Bar Association also has a lending library for CLE materials, but you must be a member.
Commercial Law
Devlin, Christopher J. and Mark K. Googins, Maine Commercial Lending Handbook, Standish, ME: Tower Publishing, 2011
Constitutional Law
Davis, William T., ed. The New England States: their Constitutional, Judicial, Educational, Commercial, Professional and Industrial History, Volume 3. Boston: D.H. Hurd and Co., 1897; Chapt. 98 (XCVIII), "Constitutional History of Maine", pg. 1103
Perley, Jeremiah. Debates and Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Maine. Augusta, Maine Farmers' Almanac Press, 1984.
Tinkle, Marshall J., The Maine State Constitution, 2d ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013
Consumer Law
McKenna, James A. and the Public Protection Unit. Maine Attorney General's Consumer Law Guide, 3rd ed. Augusta, ME: State of Maine, Dept. of the Attorney General
* This guide is in hardcopy also, and available in most public libraries in Maine.
Corporate/Business Law/Commercial Law
Patterson, Dennis. Maine Debtor-Creditor Law. Salem, NH: Butterworth, 1991 with 1992 pocket part.
Peisner, Michael B. (and others) Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont Limited Liability Company Forms and Practice Manual Brooklandville, MD: Data Trace Publishing Co., 1999 with 2008 update and CD.
Spanogle, John A., Maine Practice: Uniform Commercial Code Forms Annotated St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., 1966 with a 1974 pocket part.
Zimpritch, James B. Maine Corporation Law and Practice, 3rd ed. Standish, ME: Tower Publishing Co., 2015
Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations (laws, forms, searches, fees -- excellent site)
UCC Online services from the Secretary of State's website
Court History/General Maine Legal History
Beerits, Henry C. and Martha Vaughan, "The Pre-Revolutionary Pownalborough Court House", 17 Maine Bar Bulletin no. 2, pg. 33.
Biographies of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justices with photographs on the Cleaves Law Library website
Cornish, Hon. Leslie C., "A Century of the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine", presentation published in Report of the Maine State Bar Association for 1920 and 1921: Biennial Meeting in Celebration of the First Century of the Jurisprudence of the State of Maine, Pages 109- 144.
Davis, William T., ed., The New England States: their Constitutional, Judicial, Educational, Commercial, Professional and Industrial History, Volume 3 Boston: D.H. Hurd and Co., Chapt. 98 (XCVIII), "Judicial History of Maine", pg. 1137.
Delahanty, Hon. Thomas E., II, Maine Superior Court Chronology, unpublished survey, available at Cleaves Law Library.
Hale, Hon. Clarence, "A Century of the Federal Courts in Maine", presentation published in Report of the Maine State Bar Association for 1920 and 1921: Biennial Meeting in Celebration of the First Century of the Jurisprudence of the State of Maine, Pages 72 - 108.
Hamlin, Charles, "The Supreme Court of Maine", Five-part series of articles in The Greenbag: Part I, Volume 7, pg. 457 (1895); Part II, Volume 7, pg. 504 (1895); Part III, Volume 7, pg. 553 (1895); Part IV, Volume 8, pg. 14 (1896); Part V, Volume 8, pg. 61 (1896).
Henry, Hon. Harriet P., The Maine District Court: A Quarter Century of Progress, 1962-1987. Standish, ME: Tower Publishing Co., 1987.
Kimmelman, Donald M., The History of Court Mediation in Maine Sorrento, ME: Donald M. Kimmelman, 2007
MacMahon, Hugh G.E., "Progress, Stability and the Struggle for Equality: A Ramble Through the Early Years of Maine Law 1820-1920"Portland, ME: Drummond Woodsum, 2009. Order online from the Drummond Woodsum website.
McKusick, Hon. Vincent L., "The Upcoming Tercentenary of the History of the Maine Supreme Court". This article was adapted from an address delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Maine Historical Society held at the Pownalborough Courthouse on Saturday, May 18, 1991. 7 Maine Bar Journal no. 1 pg. 12, 1992.
Pierce, Ann, "A History of Maine's County Courthouses", 1 Maine Bar Journal no. 1, pg. 120, 1986
Silsby, Herbert T., II, "History of the Maine Superior Court", 14 Maine Bar Bulletin no. 4, pg. 109, 1980 and 14 Maine Bar Bulletin no. 5, pg. 149, 1980.
Silsby, Herbert T., II, Memorable Justices and Lawyers of Maine: A Historical Perspective, Ellsworth, ME: Dilligaf Publishing, 2006
Sloane, Robert K., The Courthouses of Maine, Woolwich, ME: Maine Lawyers Review, 1998.
Willis, William, A History of the Law, the Courts and the Lawyers of Maine from It's First Colonization to the Early Part of the Present Century, Portland, ME: Bailey and Noyes, 1863.
LawInterview.com has a nice webpage with photographs and a chronology of early Maine woman lawyers
and and interview with Paul Mills about his interest in legal history
TIP: The State Law and Legislative Reference Library in Augusta has an extensive collection of newspaper clippings. They collect news, biographical or editorial articles which cover, or have an impact on, Maine's law and legislation, politics, state and local governments, and legal community. Specialized binders have been compiled for clippings of:
* Selected major issues dating back to the 1930's (i.e. Indian Land Claims or Workers' Compensation)
* Biographic information on legislators, governors, Maine congressional representatives and senators, judges and attorneys
* The Legislature and proposed legislation since 1961 (see card index in Clipping Area for citations to articles since 1984, and see Reference copies of the bound Legislative Documents for citations prior to 1984)
* Unique or precedent-setting court cases
* Political elections, candidates, party platforms and initiatives
Courts -- Maine
Maine Bar Directory, Standish, ME: Tower Publishing, updated annually.
Find a Maine Court by town or county
Maine Judicial Department website
Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability (for complaints against judges)
Citizen’s Guide to the Maine Courts
A Citizen's Guide to Appeals (prepared for individuals who are not trained as lawyers and who are considering an appeal from a decision of a trial court or who want to learn about Maine appellate practice. It may also serve as a useful review for attorneys who do not have a regular appeal practice.
Guide to Small Claims Proceedings
Information for Jurors
Courts -- Federal
Official website for the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston
Official website for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
Official website for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine
Pro Se Litigator Handbook from the U.S. District Court
Criminal Practice
Alexander, Hon. Donald G., Maine Jury Instruction Manual, 4th ed. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers
Ferdico, John N., Maine Law Enforcement Officer’s Manual, 2013-2016 Edition. Bowdoinham, ME: Swan Island Press.
Cluchey, David P. and Michael D. Seitzinger, Maine Criminal Practice. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers, 1995 is the latest update.
Maine Department of the Attorney General Opinions (also variously named Reports of the A.G., Annual Report of the A.G., etc.), 1859,1861-1867,1869-1873,1879-1884,1889,1931/32,1941/42-1972;1986 to date; gaps filled in by fiche.
UNIFIED CRIMINAL DOCKET RULLES
Murray, Peter L.,Maine Evidence, 6th ed., Portland, ME: Maine Law Book Company, 2007.
Elder Law/Estate Planning
Hunt, Philip C.A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Maine Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2012
Maine Legal Services for the Elderly
Maine Department of Health and Human Services -- Office of Elder Services; rules, publications, links
Adult Guardianship and Conservatorship FAQ from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Environmental Law
Ahrens, Philip and the Pierce Atwood Environmental Department, Maine Environmental and Land Use Deskbook, 2013 edition. Standish, ME: Tower Publishing, 2013
Cunningham, Gregory and Jeffrey Thaler, Maine Environmental Law Handbook, 2d Ed. Rockville, MD: Government Institutes Division, ABS Group, Inc., 2002
Maine Department of Environmental Protection -- Permits, Laws, Rules, Publications
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- Laws, Regulations, General Information, etc.
Family Law
Horton, Andrew and John David Kennedy, Do Your Divorce Right: Straight Talk from Family Law Judges, Standish, Maine: Tower Pub., 2011
Levy, Hon. Jon D. Maine Family Law, 8th Edition, LexisNexis, 2013
Prescott, Dana E. Maine Family Law Forms,(comes with a diskette), 3rd ed. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers, 2001
Extensive Family Law information from Pine Tree Legal Assistance
Food and Farm Law
Conservation Law Foundation, Legal Services Food Hub website
Farm & Food Law: A Guide for Lawyers
Unemployment Insurance Reporter, Maine volume (4A). Chicago, Ill.: Commerce Clearing House, c1983- (also includes transfer binders starting in 1955)
Winger, Lawrence C., Maine Employer's Handbook, 5th ed. Naples, ME: Northern New England Law Publishers, 2011
Lambert, John F., Jr. and Robin March. Maine Human Resources Manual: A Guide to Maine and Federal Employment Laws and Regulations. Chicago, IL: American Chamber of Commerce Resources, LLC, 2011
Maine Employee Rights Guide from the Maine Department of Labor
Landlord Tenant Law
Cowan, Casper F., Maine Real Estate Law and Practice. St. Paul, MN: West Group, 1990, updated with supplements.
Creteau, Paul G., Maine Real Estate Law. Portland, ME: Castle Pub., 1969 Revised through the 106th Legislature, 1975.
HelpMELaw;
Legal information for low-income people in the State of Maine. This includes easy-to-read self-help information on topics such as divorce and tenants rights, Medicaid and food stamps, as well as information about free and low-cost legal services in Maine.
McKenna, James A. and the Public Protection Unit. Maine Attorney General's Consumer Law Guide, 3rd ed. Augusta, ME: State of Maine, Dept. of the Attorney General
Pine Tree Legal Housing Information
Legal Writing
Citizens’ Guide for Appeals to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court (prepared for individuals who are not trained as lawyers and who are considering an appeal from a decision of a trial court or who want to learn about Maine appellate practice. It may also serve as a useful review for attorneys who do not have a regular appeal practice.)
Maine Legislative Drafting Manual
Uniform Maine Citations
Wanderer, Nancy A., "Writing Effective Law Court Briefs" -- Chap. 5 of Maine Appellate Practice, 4th ed. by Hon. Donald Alexander, Tower Publishing, 2013
Motor Vehicle
Folsom, Edmund R., Maine Driver's License Suspensions, Revocations and Related Offenses (non-OUI), 2013 edition. Saco, ME: Bryson Taylor, 2013
Folsom, Edmund R., Maine OUI Law, 2011 edition. Saco, ME: Bryson Taylor, 2011
Public Utilities
Verrill Dana, LLP's Utilities & Energy Group, Maine Regulation of Public Utilities. Portland, Maine, 2008
Real Property
Cowan, Casper F., and J. Gordon Scannell. Maine Real Estate Law and Practice, 2d ed. St. Paul, MN: Thomson West, 2007 ed.
Creteau, Paul G., Maine Real Estate Law. Portland, ME: Castle Pub., 1969 Revised through the 106th Legislature, 1975.
Delogu, Orlando E., Maine Land Use and Zoning Control. 2d Rev. Ed. Standish, ME: Tower Publishing, 1997.
Libby, Susan C., Town line retracement in the State of Maine. Graduate Thesis from the University of Maine, 1995.
TIP: This publication is available from the Maine Society of Land Surveyors in Augusta, Maine. Contact: (207) 882-5200 or director@msls.org. In the "Suggested Study Materials for the Maine Specific Exam" on the License application form from the Maine Office of Licensing and Registration, the authorship is attributed to Knud Hermansen.
Maine Roads and Easements, Practice Series 101, Number 1, ME: Maine State Bar Association, 2003 (Revised Edition 2007)
Maine Riparian Boundaries and Rights, Maine State Bar Association, 2007
Maine Title Standards, 4th ed. Augusta, ME: Maine State Bar Association, 1991 (periodic loose-leaf updates)
Municipal Roads Manual, Augusta, ME: Maine Municipal Association, Nov. 1999
Pazar, Christopher E., editor, A Practical Guide to Residential Real Estate Transactions and Foreclosures in Maine, Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2013
Principles and Procedures for the Location of
Boundaries in Maine Practice Series 102, Number 1, ME: Maine State Bar Association, 2006
Residential Subdivision and Land Development in Maine
Practice Series 104, ME: Maine State Bar Association, 2008
Maine Land Records from BrownTech
TIP: This website includes the documents related to the ownership of real estate available at the Registry of Deeds in the following Maine Counties: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Franklin, Lincoln, Penobscot and Sagadahoc.
York Deeds, 1642-1737. Portland: JT Hull, c1900
TIP: Maine obtained provincial status in New England under royal grants from England. In 1677 the Massachusetts Bay Colony purchased the area in Maine below the Kennebec River. The area east of the river became part of Massachusetts in 1691. As part of Massachusetts, the process of creating town grants for proprietors followed that of other Massachusetts towns. All deeds before 1737 for the settled area in Maine have been transcribed verbatim and published in eighteen volumes entitled York Deeds, 1642-1737, available at Cleaves and at most major libraries with a collection of New England materials.
Following the Revolution in 1783, under the auspices of the Massachusetts General Court, a Committee for the Sale of Eastern Lands began to survey and sell remaining unorganized portions of the state to help pay for the cost of the war. Land was disposed of in lotteries, a few war grants, tax sales, street grants, and patents. All the original papers for the Eastern Lands are held in the Massachusetts State Archives, and there is a limited card index. Additionally, they have been published in The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, Vols. 4-8. Between 1824-91, the Maine Land Office took over the work of the Massachusetts Committee for the Sale of Eastern Lands and distributed public land after separation from Massachusetts. Records are located at the Maine State Archives and include maps, field notes, and deeds starting with 1794 as Massachusetts's deeds. Land grant applications from Revolutionary War veterans are also available. Text from Szucs and Luebking, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy
Whittlesey, John J., Law of the Seashore, Tidewaters and Great Ponds in Massachusetts and Maine, Boston: Murray Printing Co., 1932
TIP: To find incorporations of towns (for descriptions of boundaries) use these sources: For the years 1660 to 1686 use the Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, New York: AMS Press, 1968 (located at USM and University of Maine). For the years 1692 to 1780 use Acts and Resolves of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Boston: Wright & Potter, 1869. The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780 and they started to incorporate towns and parishes after this date in the Acts and Resolves of Massachusetts (or different name variations). Use these for the years 1780 to 1820. Usually the incorporations are indexed under the term "towns" and then "incorporations" as a subsection. Sometimes you have to identify the exact date of incorporation and page through the volumes. To find exact dates of incorporation, and name variations, use the individual town descriptions in the Maine Register. For towns incorporated and amended by the State of Maine, there are two special indexes for Private and Special Laws, 1820 to 1944 and 1944 to 1957. Between 1957 and 1964, the Laws of Maine index all incorporation amendments. From 1964 to 1988 and 1989 to 2006 there are Laws of Maine Cumulative Index and Tables volumes. Thereafter, you have to search the indexes for each session of the Legislative in the last volume of the Laws of Maine until the next cumulative index volume is published.
Right to Know
Maine State Government Freedom of Access Guide
"Section by Section Analysis of Maine Freedom of Access Law; by Anne C. Lucey, Maine Law Review volume 43, No. 1, 1991
School Law
School Law Advisory, published by Drummond Woodsum; a quarterly newsletter containing clear and concise articles on legal issues of importance to school administrators
Pringle, Harry R., ed. Maine School Law, 5th ed. Drummond Woodsum., 2014
Statutory Construction
Kennedy, John David. "Statutory Construction in Maine", 7 Maine Bar Journal, no. 3, pg. 148.
Silsby, Samuel S., Jr., "History of Statutory Law in the State of Maine", reprinted in 1 M.R.S.A. 1.
Maine Legislative Drafting Manual
Taxation
Assessment Manual. Augusta, Maine: Maine Revenue Services, April 1, 2001(currently being updated)
Nye, Alan, How to Stop Paying High Property Taxes in Maine. Portland Publishing Co., 1991
Maine Tax Reporter. Chicago, IL: Commerce Clearing House, 1966; monthly updates
Maine Revenue Services
Maine Revenue Services--Sales and Use Tax Bulletins
Pine Tree Legal Tax Information
Tribal Court System
A Self-Help Guide to the Tribal Court System
Wills and Probate
Hunt, Philip C. Maine Probate Law. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers, no longer updated as of 1999
Hunt, Philip C., Editor A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Maine. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., 2012
Maine Probate Forms, rev. ed. Lexis Law Publishing, 1991, updated regularly
Mitchell, James E. and Philip C. Hunt. Maine Probate Procedure. Charlottesville, VA: Lexis Law Publishers, updated yearly
Skelton, Harold S. Settlement of Decedents’ Estates. Augusta, ME: Maine State Bar Association, 1973
Legislative History Information about the Maine adoption of the Uniform Probate Code in 1981(searchable): The Maine Probate Law Revision Commission, Report of the Commission's Study and Recommendations Concerning Maine Probate Law (October 1978)
List of Maine Probate Courts from Pine Tree Legal
MaineProbate.net: Probate Court filings in 14 Maine Counties.
TIP: Filings in 14 Maine Probate Courts can be viewed. Docket information is free to view. Copies of filings are $2.00 per page. Payment is by credit card only.
Maine Probate Rules
Maine Legal Services for the Elderly Links to Other Organizations; forms, laws, advice
Workers' Compensation
COMP:the Maine Workers’ Compensation Journal, 1984 to date + Annual Index 1994 to 2009, published by the Portland law firm Robinson Kriger & McCallum
Devoe, Charles D. Maine Worker's Compensation Act: Practice and Procedure. Salem, NH: Butterworth Pub. Co., 1992
Miscellaneous websites
HelpMELaw;
Legal information for low-income people in the State of Maine. This includes easy-to-read self-help information on topics such as divorce and tenants rights, Medicaid and food stamps, as well as information about free and low-cost legal services in Maine.
Maine Judicial Branch
Maine State Government
Maine State Legislature
Pine Tree Legal Assistance (this site includes valuable information on Housing, Family Law, Employment Law, Health Care, Education, Public Benefits, Consumer Law, Tax Information, Native American information and more.