Title 4, Title 4

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court may from time to time call together the several Justices of the Superior Court at such place as the Chief Justice may appoint for conference as to the conduct and dispatch of judicial business and interchange of views in matters of …

For each county, the Chief Justice shall appoint a person to serve as the clerk of the Superior Court in that county. A clerk of a District Court may also serve as the clerk of a Superior Court. Any deputy clerk, if the deputy's appointment has been temporarily approved by a Just…

The Chief Justice of the Superior Court may authorize any clerk or deputy clerk of the Superior Court to issue process for the arrest of persons charged with crimes if the Chief Justice of the Superior Court is satisfied that the clerk or deputy clerk has the necessary training a…

The Justices of the Superior Court shall establish a seal for said court. All summonses, writs and other processes of said court shall be in the name of the State under the seal of said court. They shall be signed by any one of the clerks and obeyed and executed throughout the St…

The Chief Justice of the Superior Court shall establish the times and places for holding court, shall schedule the business to be conducted and shall specify when the grand jury shall be summoned. A grand jury may be specially summoned at any time by order of a Justice of the Sup…

Two or more simultaneous sessions of the Superior Court may be held in the same county, or special sessions thereof may be held in any county, whenever the Chief Justice of the Superior Court determines that public convenience so requires. The business may be so divided as to sec…

The sheriff of each of the counties, when requested, shall attend the Superior Court thereof or the Supreme Judicial Court when either court is in session in that county or the sheriff shall specially designate a deputy, approved by the court, so to attend. When court is adjourne…

The Superior Court may administer all necessary oaths, render judgment and issue execution, punish for contempt and compel attendance; and the provisions of law relative to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Judicial Court in each of said counties over parties, the arrest of persons…

In each county, the place for holding court is located in a building designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court or the Chief Justice's designee, who, with the advice and approval of the Bureau of General Services, is empowered to negotiate, on behalf of the Sta…

A Superior Court location, as authorized under the provisions of this chapter, may not be closed unless approved by an act of the Legislature.

All revenue received by the Supreme Judicial Court or Superior Court, whether directly or pursuant to an agreement entered into with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services, from fines, forfeitures, penalties, fees and costs accrues to …

Within the limits of the funds and appropriations available to the Superior and Supreme Judicial Courts, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court or the Chief Justice's designee may authorize the expenditure of funds for such other expenses and capital improvements as are …

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court may assign a Justice of the Superior Court who had been serving as a Judge of the District Court and who has been nominated and confirmed as a Justice of the Superior Court to sit in the District Court in order to finish any cases t…

A Justice or an Active Retired Justice of the Superior Court may be assigned by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court to sit in the District Court and when so directed the justice has authority and jurisdiction in the District Court as if the justice were a regular judg…

The Chief Justice of the Superior Court shall establish annual training and education designed to inform Justices of the Superior Court on domestic violence and child abuse, neglect and maltreatment issues.

A District Court for the State of Maine, as heretofore established, shall be a court of record and the Chief Judge shall establish a seal.

The District Court has jurisdiction in the following civil matters: [PL 1999, c. 731, Pt. ZZZ, §4 (AMD); PL 1999, c. 731, Pt. ZZZ, §42 (AFF).] 1. Jurisdiction exercised by trial justices and municipal courts. The civil jurisdiction exercised by all trial justices and municipal co…

The State is divided into judicial divisions, named and defined as follows, and with places for holding court in those divisions as follows: [PL 2013, c. 159, §2 (AMD).] 1. Northern Androscoggin. 2. Androscoggin. Androscoggin consists of all municipalities in Androscoggin County.…

The judicial divisions are organized into 13 districts, as follows, with the place for holding court shown in parentheses after the name of each division: 1. First District. The first district consists of the divisions of Eastern Aroostook (Caribou) and Western Aroostook (Fort Ke…

1. Juvenile proceeding or criminal prosecution. A juvenile proceeding or criminal prosecution, including traffic, shall be brought in the division in which the offense charged took place, but if the proceeding involves 2 or more offenses committed in different divisions, it may b…

1. Pending new rules. Pending promulgation of new rules as provided in subsection 2: A. The rules of procedure now in effect for cases and proceedings within the jurisdiction vested by this chapter in the District Court shall apply. B. Appeals from the District Court shall be hea…

1. Appointment. District Court Judges are appointed as follows. A. The Governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters and to confirmation by the Legislature, shall appoint to the District Court 42 judges, …

Any Judge of the District Court who has retired from the court under this chapter prior to December 1, 1984, or any Judge of the District Court who retires or terminates that judge's service on the court in accordance with chapter 27, except for a disability retirement, is eligib…

A Judge or an Active Retired Judge of the District Court may be assigned by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court to sit in the Superior Court in any county and when so directed has authority and jurisdiction therein as if a regular Justice of the Superior Court; and wh…

Any Active Retired Judge of the District Court who performs judicial service at the direction and assignment of the Chief Judge of the District Court is compensated for those services at the rate of $350 per day or $200 per 1/2 day, as long as the total compensation received unde…

Judges and clerks of the District Court are, ex officio, notaries public, and all their official acts, attested by them in either capacity, except those pertaining to the exclusive jurisdiction of judges and clerks of District Courts, are of equal effect. Judges and clerks of the…

For each division, for the violations bureau and for the office of the Chief Judge, the Chief Judge shall appoint clerks and deputy clerks as necessary. A clerk of the Superior Court may also serve as the clerk of the District Court. If the business of any division or the violati…

The Chief Judge of the District Court may authorize any attorney-at-law, who is duly licensed to practice law in the State, to receive complaints and to issue process for the arrest of persons charged with offenses, to issue search warrants and to endorse certificates of commitme…

In each division, the place for holding court must be located in a state, county or municipal building designated by the Chief Judge who, with the advice and approval of the Bureau of General Services, is empowered to negotiate on behalf of the State the leases, contracts and oth…

1. District Court funds. Except as otherwise provided by law, all fines, forfeitures, surcharges, assessments and fees collected in any division of the District Court or by the violations bureau must be paid to the clerk of that District Court, who shall deposit them in a special…

The Chief Judge shall be responsible to and under the supervision of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court for the operation of the District Court and shall serve as Chief Judge at the pleasure of the Chief Justice. To this end the Chief Judge shall: [PL 1975, c. 408, §…

The clerk of each division may accept a guilty plea to a criminal traffic offense upon payment of a fine and surcharge in accordance with a schedule of offenses and fines established by the Chief Judge. A person tendering payment of a fine without filing a signed waiver is deemed…

1. Crimes; under one year imprisonment. The District Court has jurisdiction and, except as provided in Title 29‑A, section 2602, concurrent jurisdiction with the Superior Court of all crimes, including violation of any statute or a bylaw of a town, village corporation or local he…

A Judge of the District Court may order a person, who is accused of an offense, to be examined by a physician without delay, to determine whether or not such person is insane. The cost of such examination shall be paid from the treasury of the county in which the action is pendin…

Judges of the District Court and notaries public may administer all oaths required by law, unless another officer is specially required to do it.

Upon view of an affray, riot, assault or battery, Judges of the District Court may, without warrant, command the assistance of any sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable or person present to repress the same and to arrest all concerned therein.

When complaint is made to the proper officer of the District Court charging a person with the commission of a criminal offense, that officer shall issue a warrant for the person's arrest or a summons in such form and under such circumstances as the Supreme Judicial Court may by r…

1. Traffic infraction. When a complaint is made to the proper officer of the District Court charging a person with the commission of a traffic infraction the officer of the District Court shall cause to be served upon the person a Violation Summons and Complaint or other process …

Whenever a District Judge is unable to attend court, any clerk of the District Court may continue any case in such court for a period of not more than 14 days.

The following provisions shall apply to the District Court: 1. Definitions and limitations. This section applies only to costs and fees arising from the criminal and civil violation proceedings in the District Court. When any criminal or civil violation case is appealed from such…

Costs in the amount of $25 shall be automatically taxable for the State in civil violation and traffic infraction proceedings for failure to pay a fine imposed for the commission of a civil violation or traffic infraction within 30 days of entry of judgment or within 30 days of t…

The Supreme Judicial Court shall have the authority to prescribe rules establishing the fees of the District Courts.

No Judge of a District Court division shall demand or receive any fees for entering an appeal or admitting to bail to prosecute it, in a criminal or traffic infraction case. The legal fees therefor may be taxed in the bill of costs, and certified and paid like other fees.

All process of the District Court shall run throughout the State, and may be served outside of the division from which issued with the same effect as if served within such division.

A District Court Judge may issue warrants to conduct administrative searches in such manner, for such purposes and under such circumstances as the Supreme Judicial Court shall by rule provide.

A District Court Judge may issue warrants to conduct surveys and tests on land that is under consideration for purchase or taking through eminent domain by the State or any of its political subdivisions. The Supreme Judicial Court shall provide by rule the manner and circumstance…