Maine Legal Materials

"Welcome to the Law and Legislative Reference Library, a nonpartisan office of the Maine State Legislature. We provide legal and governmental information, research and resources to all the citizens of Maine, their government and the legal community. We do not give legal advice or interpretations."

"The Law and Legislative Digital Library (LLDL) provides access to a growing collection of documents relating to the development of Maine law. Many of these items have been scanned from hard-to-find originals in the collection of the Law and Legislative Reference Library. "

"Legislative history research involves the identification of documents and actions in consideration of passage of a law. Typically people are looking for the intent behind the law or specific language within it. We hope the resources on this page will be of help in conducting your own legislative history research."

Serving the Maine Bench and Bar Since 1811

"Maine Practice Materials with helpful tips
Compiled by the staff of Cleaves Law Library"

The Maine Superior Court is Maine’s trial court of general jurisdiction and is the only level of court where jury trials are held. Except for family matters, juvenile cases, and civil violations, the Superior Court may hear almost any kind of civil or criminal case that may be brought to trial. One Superior Court is located in each of Maine’s sixteen counties, except for Aroostook County, which has two Superior Courts. The Superior Court has seventeen justices. All have statewide jurisdiction and travel to the different counties to hold court. The Superior Court also hears appeals from state and local administrative agencies. Appeals from the Superior Court may be taken to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

The Law library maintains an online database of all Superior Court Decisions supplied by the clerks of the Court from 2000 to present. A paper collection of decisions predating 2000 can be accessed by scheduling a time to visit with a reference librarian.

"About This Journal
The Maine Law Review is published twice annually by second and third year students at the University of Maine School of Law. The Law Review contains case notes and comments written by our students on current legal problems, as well as articles by judges, professors, and practitioners on a variety of legal issues. The Law Review provides students with a valuable two-year research, editing, and writing experience that allows each to explore in-depth a legal issue of particular interest. Recent editions have contained student notes examining diverse issues of Maine law, such as the enforceability of local food ordinances, gestational surrogacy contracts, and the extent to which Miranda applies to matter-of-fact-communications with arrestees."

"About This Journal
Located in the coastal city of Portland, Maine, the Ocean and Coastal Law Journal is dedicated to facilitating discourse on legal issues related to domestic and international use of the sea and seashores. It is published by second and third year students at the University of Maine School of Law in two volumes per year. These volumes include articles by practitioners and scholars, as well as comments and case notes written by students addressing issues of marine resource regulation, coastal zone management, marine environmental protection, and other topics of importance in the field of ocean and coastal law."