Legal Statutes: Maine

UPDATED November 28, 2012

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• Maine Revised Statutes (select sections)
  • Title 5. Administrative Procedures and Services
    • Part 12. Human Rights
      • Chapter 337-A. Protection from Harassment
        • § 4651. Definitions
        • § 4652. Filing of complaint; jurisdiction
        • § 4653. Commencement of proceedings
        • § 4654. Hearings
        • § 4655. Relief
        • § 4656. Identifying information sealed
        • § 4657. Notification
        • § 4659. Violation
      • Chapter 337-B. Civil Rights Act
        • § 4681. Violations of constitutional rights; civil action by Attorney General
  • Title 15. Court Procedure--Criminal
    • Part 1. Criminal Procedure Generally
      • Chapter 15. Possession of Firearms by Prohibited Persons
        • § 393. Possession of firearms prohibited for certain persons
  • Title 17. Crimes
    • Chapter 93-C. Interference with Constitutional and Civil Rights
      • § 2931. Prohibition
  • Title 17-A. Maine Criminal Code
    • Part 1. General Principles
      • Chapter 1. Preliminary
        • § 2. Definitions
    • Part 2. Substantive Offenses
      • Chapter 9. Offenses Against the Person
        • § 201. Murder
        • § 202. Felony murder
        • § 203. Manslaughter
        • § 204. Aiding or soliciting suicide
        • § 207. Assault
        • § 208. Aggravated assault
        • § 209. Criminal threatening
        • § 210. Terrorizing
        • § 210-A. Stalking
        • § 211. Reckless conduct
      • Chapter 11. Sexual Assaults
        • § 253. Gross sexual assault
      • Chapter 13. Kidnapping and Criminal Restraint
        • § 301. Kidnapping
        • § 302. Criminal restraint
        • § 303. Criminal restraint by parent
      • Chapter 21. Offenses Against Public Order
        • § 506. Harassment by telephone
        • § 506-A. Harassment
        • § 511. Violation of privacy
        • § 556. Incest
      • Chapter 33. Arson and Other Property Destruction
        • § 802. Arson
        • § 805. Aggravated criminal mischief
        • § 806. Criminal mischief
  • Title 19-A. Domestic Relations
    • Part 3. Parents and Children
      • Chapter 51. General Provisions
        • § 1501. Definitions
      • Chapter 55. Rights and Responsibilities
        • § 1653. Parental rights and responsibilities
        • § 1657. Modification or termination of orders for parental rights and responsibilities
      • Chapter 58. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
        • § 1732. Definitions
      • Chapter 59. Visitation Rights of Grandparents
        • § 1803. Petition
      • Chapter 63. Child Support Guidelines
        • § 2001. Definitions
    • Part 4. Protection from Abuse
      • Chapter 101. Protection from Abuse
        • § 4001. Purposes
        • § 4002. Definitions
        • § 4003. Filing of complaint; jurisdiction
        • § 4004. Application of other acts
        • § 4005. Commencement of proceeding
        • § 4006. Hearings
        • § 4007. Relief
        • § 4008. Identifying information sealed
        • § 4009. Notification
        • § 4010. Procedure
        • § 4011. Violation
        • § 4012. Law enforcement agency responsibilities
        • § 4013. Maine Commission on Domestic and Sexual Abuse
        • § 4014. Certification of batterers' intervention programs
  • Title 22. Health and Welfare
    • Subtitle 3. Income Supplementation
      • Part 2. Aged, Blind, Disabled or Medically Indigent Persons
        • Chapter 958-A. Adult Protective Services
          • Subchapter 1. General Provisions
            • § 3472. Definitions
      • Part 3. Children
        • Chapter 1071. Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act
          • Subchapter 1. General Provisions
            • § 4002. Definitions
            • § 4005-D. Access to and participating in proceedings
            • § 4005-E. Relatives; visitation and access; placement

Chapter 101. Protection from Abuse

back to top§ 4010. Procedure

1. Civil rules apply. Unless otherwise indicated in this chapter, all proceedings must be in accordance with the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure. Appeals may be taken as provided by the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure. Appeals may be only for error of law or abuse of discretion.

2. Proceedings independent. All proceedings may be independent of, or joined with, a proceeding for divorce, dissolution of marriage, legal separation or separate maintenance. A proceeding under this chapter is in addition to any other available civil or criminal remedies.

3. Self-defense. The right to relief under this chapter is not affected by the plaintiff's use of reasonable force in response to abuse by the defendant.

4. Intoxication. Voluntary intoxication is not a defense to an action under this chapter.

5. Mediation and referees. The court may not mandate mediation or appointment of referees in actions brought under this chapter. If an action under this chapter is joined with another proceeding pursuant to subsection 2, this subsection does not prohibit the court from mandating mediation or the appointment of a referee on any issue, other than abuse, that is part of the other proceeding.