Maine Code § 14-3142

Contempt hearing and punishment
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
1. Punishment. Unless the defendant shows that failure to pay a fine was not attributable to a
willful refusal to obey the order or to a failure on the defendant's part to make a good faith effort to
obtain the funds required for the payment, the court may find the defendant in civil contempt and may
impose punishment, as the case requires, of:
A. A reasonable fine not to exceed $500; or [PL 2003, c. 193, §3 (AMD).]
B. [PL 2003, c. 193, §3 (RP).]
C. The suspension of any license, certification, registration, permit, approval or other similar
document evidencing the granting of authority to hunt, fish or trap or to engage in a profession,
occupation, business or industry, not including a registration, permit, approval or similar document
evidencing the granting of authority to engage in the business of banking pursuant to Title 9-B or
a motor vehicle license or permit issued by the Secretary of State, the right to operate a motor
vehicle in this State and the right to apply for or obtain a license or permit, as provided in Title
29-A. Licenses and registration subject to suspension include, but are not limited to:
(1) Licenses issued by the Commissioner of Marine Resources, as provided in Title 12, section
6409;
(2) Licenses issued by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, as provided in Title
12, section 10902, subsection 3; and
(3) Watercraft, snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle registrations, as provided in Title 12, section
10902, subsection 3. [PL 2019, c. 603, §3 (AMD).]
D. [PL 2019, c. 603, §4 (RP).]
E. [PL 2019, c. 603, §5 (RP).]
[PL 2019, c. 603, §§3-5 (AMD).]
2. Notification of issuing entity and person. Upon suspension of the person's license,
certification, registration, permit, approval or other similar document evidencing the granting of
authority to hunt, fish or trap or to engage in a profession, occupation, business or industry, the court
shall notify the person and the issuing agency that the court has ordered the suspension. The issuing
agency shall immediately record the suspension except that, in the case of a suspension of a driver's
license or right to operate a motor vehicle, if the suspension results from the nonpayment of a fine that
is not related to the operation of a motor vehicle, the suspension may not take effect until 60 days after
the mailing of the notice. The court shall immediately notify that person by regular mail or personal
service. Written notice is sufficient if sent to the person's last known address.
[PL 2005, c. 325, §1 (AMD).]

3. Purge of contempt. The court shall provide an opportunity for the defendant to purge the
contempt by complying with the court's order to pay or with an amended order to pay. The provisions
of the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 66 and the Maine Rules of Unified Criminal Procedure,
Rule 42 do not apply to proceedings initiated under this section.
[PL 2015, c. 431, §2 (AMD).]

‹ Prev All Maine sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.