Maine Supreme Judicial Court Decisions 2023

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, the Office of the Public Advocate (the appellant) contested a decision by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that approved an amended special rate contract between…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed a lower court's decision to terminate a mother's parental rights to her two children. The mother appealed the termination of her rights, asserting that she was…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Taylor A. Pelletier was convicted of multiple crimes, including two counts of kidnapping with a dangerous weapon, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court was called to determine issues regarding the distribution of assets under a will and trust, and personal jurisdiction. The case arose from a dispute between two brothers,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of conviction entered by the trial court for attempted murder and other crimes with respect to Defendant's contended errors but vacated Defendant's sentences with respect…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment of default and forfeiture of $17,815 in cash bail entered after the trial court denied Defendant's motion to set aside the forfeiture of that portion of his deposited cash bail,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the superior court determining that the Aroostook County Commissioners had jurisdiction over an appeal of a municipality's denial of a tax abatement application by…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of conviction of hindering apprehension or prosecution entered by the trial court following a jury trial, holding that Appellant was not entitled to relief on his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed in all respects a judgment of conviction of two counts of murder and other weapons-related counts entered by the trial court following a jury trial on the murder charges and a bench…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the superior court reversing the decision of the Town of Eliot's board of appeals vacating the planning board's approval of a large solar array project, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the order entered in the business and consumer docket granting summary judgment approving the method of the State Tax Assessor for calculating Express Scripts Inc.'s Maine tax…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the trial court denying Petitioner's petition for post-conviction review (PCR) arguing that her trial counsel provided ineffective assistance, holding that Petitioner's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the decision of the court of appeals reversing the judgment of the superior court dismissing Appellant's lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment and damages, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the judgment of the trial court convicting Defendant of gross sexual assault and four related crimes, holding that a specific unanimity instruction was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court interpreting Me. Rev. Stat. 29-A, 2413-A to permit a determination that Defendant had committed three civil violations and to authorize the trial court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the decision of the Commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to revoke or suspend Appellant's hunting license for three years and his guide license for one year,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the summary judgment entered by the Business and Consumer Docket in an action brought by Defendant's neighbors issuing a declaratory judgment and injunction…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court convicting Defendant of two counts of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs and one count of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and finding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the superior court declaring that Marie and Peter Adams had a right to trim, cut, or remove branches or limbs of the oak tree on adjacent property owned by Alan and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the superior court awarding attorney fees to the Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC) based on the court's ruling after an evidentiary hearing that the Maine County…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the superior court denying Appellants' Me. R. Civ,. P. 80B petition for review of government action and affirming the decision of the Portland Planning Board to approve…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the divorce judgment entered by the district court awarding Husband $35,500 of the marital equity in real estate owned by Wife and her father as joint tenants with one exception,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the trial court's judgment of conviction of unlawful sexual contact entered after a jury trial, holding that Appellant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the superior court in favor of the City of Sanford following a jury trial on Plaintiff's complaint alleging that the City discriminated against him because of his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the district court terminating Parents' parental rights to their children, holding that there was no error or abuse of discretion in the proceedings…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment entered by the district court allocating parental rights regarding the parties' child in this case, granting primary residence to Kyla Estes and defining rights of contact…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the trial court acquitting Defendant of eluding an officer after a jury found him guilty of that offense and two misdemeanors, holding that the evidence rationally…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction on charges of domestic violence aggravated assault and domestic violence assault and the trial court's finding of guilty on a charge of violating a condition of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated in part the divorce judgment of the district court, holding that the district court erred in calculating past and future child support. On appeal, Father argued that the district court…

Justia Opinion Summary: In the underlying matter involving a longstanding dispute between two condominium owners (Owners) and the Compass Harbor Village Condominium Association and Compass Harbor Village, LLC (collectively, Compass Harbor) the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment entered by the district court divorcing Katharine Allerding from Neill Ewing-Wegmann, holding that Allerding was not entitled to relief on her allegations of error. On…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the superior court affirming the decision of the Belfast Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to issue five permits to Nordic Aquafarms in connection with a proposed land-based…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court dismissed Jean Voelker's appeal of a judgment of the probate court concluding that a document proffered by Voelker as the last will and testament of Theodore Ackley (the Decedent) was not a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the district court ordering Torrey Sears's divorce from Bobby Sears but vacated the portion of the district court's order awarding Bobby spousal support, distributing…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated a portion of the summary judgment entered by the superior court in this action related to the estate of Patricia Spofford, the mother of Michael Zani and Peter Zani, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and falsifying physical evidence, entered after a jury trial, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court dismissing Appellant's appeal from an order entered by the business and consumer docket dismissing two of three counts in Appellant's action against Flats Industrial, Inc. and three other Flats…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of burglary, entered following a jury trial, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his argument that he should be granted an acquittal. Defendant…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the district court dismissing Key Bank National Association's complaint for foreclosure because the debtor or the debtor's estate was a necessary party and was not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated in part the district court's amended divorce judgment in this action involving the modification of a divorce judgment, holding that the court erred in calculating child support by…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the superior court entered upon a jury verdict in favor of Mainely Media, LLC on the tort claims brought by Norman Gaudette, a former Biddeford police officer, and his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of gross sexual assault but vacated his sentence of eight years' imprisonment to be followed by eight years of supervised release, holding that there was no…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the superior court that reversed and modified the decision of the tax assessor of the Town of Vinalhaven denying Hurricane Island Foundation a local property tax…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for aggravated assault, robbery, domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer but reversed his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the decision of the Town of Ogunquit Board of Appeals concluding that good cause existed for this appeal brought by Appellant pursuant to Me. R. Civ. P. 80B challenging the issuance of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for three counts of intentional or knowing murder, among other crimes, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his claims of error. On appeal,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of divorce entered by the district court as to the disposition of certain property and the dissolution of Cole G. Bridges Wild Blueberry LLC, holding that the circuit court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment entered in the district court granting Pat Doe a protection from abuse (PFA) order against Thomas Lindahl, holding that remand was required. In January 2022, Doe filed her…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court convicting Defendant of two counts of gross sexual assault and two counts of unlawful sexual contact, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the judgment entered in the district court establishing parental rights and responsibilities concerning Father's child with Mother, holding that the court's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court held that Wayne Jortner, Richard Bennett, John Clark, and Nicole Grohoski (collectively, Jortner) met his burden to demonstrate that a ballot question for citizen-initiated legislation was not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of intentional or knowing murder and his thirty-five-year sentence, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of error. After a jury…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court convicting Defendant of one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and two counts of criminal forfeiture, holding that the trial court did…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the post-conviction review (PCR) court denying Appellant's PCR petitions, holding that the PCR court misconstrued aspects of the relevant law. In his speedy trial…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court answered a certified question as follows: no warranty is implied by the use of the term "Warranty Deed" to describe an instrument which "grants...real property with the buildings and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the series of consecutive sentences imposed by the trial court upon Appellant's guilty pleas to ten counts of aggravated attempted murder and other crimes, holding that the trial court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment convicting Defendant of two counts of gross sexual assault, holding that the trial court did not err in determining that Defendant was an "other official" under Me. Rev.…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the district court adopting the final order of the family law magistrate ordering Mother's divorce from Father, awarding sole parental rights and responsibilities of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of murder but vacated his sentence, holding that a criminal defendant's decision to exercise his constitutional right to a trial by jury may not be considered at…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment entered by the superior court determining ownership and land use rights in intertidal land bordering Penobscot Bay, holding that the disputed land belonged to Jeffrey Mabee…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the order of the superior court granting Stephen Witham's motion for an extension of time to file his notice of appeal and dismissed Witham's appeal as untimely, holding that Witham's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the judgment of the superior court dismissing Plaintiff's claims for abuse of process and wrongful use of civil proceedings, holding that the trial court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the order of the superior court affirming the decision of the Maine State Police (MSP) to withhold documents sought by Appellant pursuant to a Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) request, see…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the district court dismissing Plaintiff's action for breach of contract and awarding Defendant attorney fees, holding that the district court abused its discretion. The…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for operating under the influence, entered upon Defendant's conditional guilty plea after the trial court denied his motion to suppress evidence obtained through…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court dismissed this appeal from a superior court order denying Appellants' Me. R. Civ. P. 80B petition seeking a review of the decision of the City of Portland to classify Appellants' proposed…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the order of the Public Utilities Commission denying the petition of Maine Coalition to Stop Smart Meters for reconsideration of a previous order approving revised terms and conditions…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for two counts of intentional or knowing murder but vacated Defendant's two concurrent life sentences and remanded the case for resentencing, holding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated a portion of the divorce judgment entered by the district court in this case and otherwise affirmed, holding that the trial court failed to make the specific finding required by statute…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of stalking, violation of a protective order, and violation of a condition of release, holding that the trial court did not err or abuse its discretion in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the final judgment and order of the district court in Husband's divorce from Wife and imposed sanctions, holding that Husband's appeal was frivolous and contumacious within the meaning…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the district court on Appellant's complaint for divorce from Appellee, holding that the trial court's findings were insufficient to support the parental rights portions…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the judgment of the superior court dismissing Appellant's complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction over Defendant, holding that Maine had personal jurisdiction over Defendant in this…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Judicial Court vacated in part the judgment of the district court ordering Husband's divorce from Wife and awarding sole parental rights and responsibilities of the parties' two children to Wife, holding that…