Maine Code § 30-6209-A

Jurisdiction of the Passamaquoddy Tribal Court
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1. Exclusive jurisdiction over certain matters. Except as provided in subsections 3 and 4, the
Passamaquoddy Tribe has the right to exercise exclusive jurisdiction, separate and distinct from the
State, over:
A. The following criminal offenses committed within Passamaquoddy Indian territory by an adult
member of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group:
(1) Class C, D and E crimes in Titles 15, 17, 17-A, 19-A and 29-A that are not committed
against a person or the property of a person; and
(2) Class C, D and E crimes committed against a person who is a member of any federally
recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group or against the property of a person who is
a member of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group.
The Passamaquoddy Tribe may not deny to any criminal defendant prosecuted for a Class C crime
the rights and protections enumerated in 25 United States Code, Section 1302(c); [PL 2023, c.
647, Pt. A, §1 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
B. Juvenile crimes against a person or property involving conduct that, if committed by an adult,
would fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Passamaquoddy Tribe under paragraph A, and
juvenile crimes, as defined in Title 15, section 3103, subsection 1, paragraphs B and C, committed
by a juvenile member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the
Mi'kmaq Nation or the Penobscot Nation within Passamaquoddy Indian territory; [PL 2023, c.
369, Pt. B, §2 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §4 (AFF).]
C. Civil actions between members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Houlton Band of Maliseet
Indians, the Mi'kmaq Nation or the Penobscot Nation arising within Passamaquoddy Indian
territory and cognizable as small claims under the laws of the State and civil actions against a
member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi'kmaq Nation
or the Penobscot Nation under Title 22, section 2383 involving conduct within Passamaquoddy
Indian territory by a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians,
the Mi'kmaq Nation or the Penobscot Nation; [PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §2 (AMD); PL 2023, c.
369, Pt. B, §4 (AFF).]
D. Indian child custody proceedings to the extent authorized by applicable state and federal law;
[PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §2 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §4 (AFF).]
E. Other domestic relations matters, including marriage, divorce and support, between members
of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi'kmaq Nation or the
Penobscot Nation, both of whom reside within the Passamaquoddy Indian territory; and [PL 2023,
c. 369, Pt. B, §2 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §4 (AFF).]
F. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, civil and criminal actions regarding the
enforcement of ordinances enacted pursuant to section 6207, subsection 10, except that the
Passamaquoddy Tribe may not exercise jurisdiction over a nonprofit public municipal corporation,
including, but not limited to, the water district established by Private and Special Law 1983, chapter
25. [PL 2021, c. 650, §12 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 650, §13 (AFF).]
The governing body of the Passamaquoddy Tribe shall decide whether to exercise or terminate the
exercise of the exclusive jurisdiction authorized by this subsection. If the Passamaquoddy Tribe
chooses not to exercise, or chooses to terminate its exercise of, jurisdiction over the criminal, juvenile,
civil and domestic matters described in this subsection, the State has exclusive jurisdiction over those
matters. In exercising its exclusive jurisdiction under paragraphs A and B, the Passamaquoddy Tribe
is enforcing Passamaquoddy tribal law.
[PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §1 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]

1-A. Concurrent jurisdiction over certain criminal offenses. The Passamaquoddy Tribe has
the right to exercise jurisdiction, concurrently with the State, over the following criminal offenses:
A. Class C, D and E crimes committed within Passamaquoddy Indian territory by an adult member
of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group against a person who is not a
member of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group or against the property
of a person who is not a member of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other
group; and [PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
B. Class C, D and E crimes committed within Passamaquoddy Indian territory by a person who is
not a member of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group as authorized in
the federal Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, Public Law 117-103,
Division W, Title VIII, Subtitle A, Section 804, 25 United States Code, Section 1304.
Notwithstanding subsection 2, the Passamaquoddy Tribe may not deny to any criminal defendant
prosecuted pursuant to this paragraph the rights and protections enumerated in 25 United States
Code, Sections 1302(a), 1302(c), 1303 and 1304(d) and all other rights whose protection is
necessary under the United States Constitution in order for Congress or the State to recognize
concurrent jurisdiction under this paragraph. [PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2023, c.
647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
The Passamaquoddy Tribe may not deny to any criminal defendant prosecuted for a Class C crime the
rights and protections enumerated in 25 United States Code, Section 1302(c).
The governing body of the Passamaquoddy Tribe shall decide whether to exercise or terminate the
exercise of jurisdiction authorized by this subsection. In exercising the concurrent jurisdiction
authorized by this subsection, the Passamaquoddy Tribe is enforcing Passamaquoddy tribal law. The
definitions of the criminal offenses and the punishments applicable to those criminal offenses over
which the Passamaquoddy Tribe has concurrent jurisdiction under this subsection are governed by the
laws of the State. Issuance and execution of criminal process also are governed by the laws of the State.
[PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §2 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
1-B. Exclusive jurisdiction of the State. Except as provided in subsection 1, paragraphs A and
B and subsection 1-A, all laws of the State relating to criminal offenses and juvenile crimes apply within
Passamaquoddy Indian territory and the State has exclusive jurisdiction over those offenses and crimes.
Notwithstanding subsections 1 and 1-A, the State has exclusive jurisdiction over:
A. All crimes and juvenile crimes committed within Passamaquoddy Indian territory against the
State or against any office, department, agency, authority, commission, board, institution, hospital
or other instrumentality of the State, including the Maine Turnpike Authority, the Maine Port
Authority, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, the Maine Community College
System, the Maine Veterans' Homes, the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, the Maine
Military Authority and all similar state entities; and [PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §3 (NEW); PL
2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
B. Class C, D and E crimes defined in provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes outside of Titles
15, 17, 17-A, 19-A and 29-A committed within Passamaquoddy Indian territory by an adult
member of any federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or other group that are not committed
against a person or the property of a person. [PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §3 (NEW); PL 2023, c.
647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
Nothing in subsection 1 or 1-A affects, alters or preempts the authority of the State to investigate or
prosecute any conduct occurring in the State, including conduct occurring in Passamaquoddy Indian
territory, that is within the State's exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction.
[PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §3 (NEW); PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]

2. Definitions of crimes; tribal procedures. The definitions of the criminal offenses and juvenile
crimes and the punishments applicable to those criminal offenses and juvenile crimes over which the
Passamaquoddy Tribe has exclusive jurisdiction under this section are governed by the laws of the
State. Issuance and execution of criminal process are also governed by the laws of the State. The
procedures for the establishment and operation of tribal forums created to effectuate the purposes of
this section are governed by federal statute, including, without limitation, the provisions of 25 United
States Code, Sections 1301 to 1303 and rules or regulations generally applicable to the exercise of
criminal jurisdiction by Indian tribes on federal Indian reservations.
[PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §4 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 647, Pt. A, §5 (AFF).]
2-A. Criminal records, juvenile records and fingerprinting. At the arraignment of a criminal
defendant, the Passamaquoddy Tribal Court shall inquire whether fingerprints have been taken or
whether arrangements have been made for fingerprinting. If neither has occurred, the Passamaquoddy
Tribal Court shall instruct both the responsible law enforcement agency and the person charged as to
their respective obligations in this regard, consistent with Title 25, section 1542-A.
At the conclusion of a criminal or juvenile proceeding within the Passamaquoddy Tribe's exclusive or
concurrent jurisdiction, except for a violation of Title 12 or Title 29-A that is a Class D or Class E crime
other than a Class D crime that involves hunting while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or
drugs or with an excessive alcohol level or the operation or attempted operation of a watercraft, all-
terrain vehicle, snowmobile or motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs
or with an excessive alcohol level, the Passamaquoddy Tribal Court shall transmit to the Department
of Public Safety, State Bureau of Identification an abstract duly authorized on forms provided by the
bureau.
[PL 2019, c. 621, Pt. D, §3 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 621, Pt. D, §5 (AFF).]
3. Lesser included offenses in state courts. In any criminal proceeding in the courts of the State
in which a criminal offense under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Passamaquoddy Tribe constitutes a
lesser included offense of the criminal offense charged, the defendant may be convicted in the courts
of the State of the lesser included offense. A lesser included offense is as defined under the laws of the
State.
[PL 1995, c. 388, §6 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 388, §8 (AFF).]
4. Double jeopardy, collateral estoppel. A prosecution for a criminal offense or juvenile crime
over which the Passamaquoddy Tribe has exclusive jurisdiction under this section does not bar a
prosecution for a criminal offense or juvenile crime, arising out of the same conduct, over which the
State has exclusive jurisdiction. A prosecution for a criminal offense over which the Passamaquoddy
Tribe has concurrent jurisdiction under this section does not bar a prosecution for a criminal offense,
arising out of the same conduct, over which the State has exclusive jurisdiction. A prosecution for a
criminal offense over which the State has concurrent jurisdiction under this section does not bar a
prosecution for a criminal offense, arising out of the same conduct, over which the Passamaquoddy
Tribe has exclusive jurisdiction. A prosecution for a criminal offense or juvenile crime over which the
State has exclusive jurisdiction does not bar a prosecution for a criminal offense or juvenile crime,
arising out of the same conduct, over which the Passamaquoddy Tribe has exclusive jurisdiction under
this section. The determination of an issue of fact in a criminal or juvenile proceeding conducted in a
Passamaquoddy tribal forum does not constitute collateral estoppel in a criminal or juvenile proceeding
conducted in a state court. The determination of an issue of fact in a criminal or juvenile proceeding
conducted in a state court does not constitute collateral estoppel in a criminal or juvenile proceeding
conducted in a Passamaquoddy tribal forum.
[PL 2019, c. 621, Pt. D, §4 (AMD); PL 2019, c. 621, Pt. D, §5 (AFF).]
5. Future Indian communities. Any 25 or more adult members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe
residing within their Indian territory and in reasonable proximity to each other may petition the
commission for designation as an extended reservation. If the commission determines, after

investigation, that the petitioning Passamaquoddy tribal members constitute an extended reservation,
the commission shall establish the boundaries of the extended reservation and recommend to the
Legislature that, subject to the approval of the governing body of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, it amend
this Act to extend the jurisdiction of the Passamaquoddy Tribe to the extended reservation. The
boundaries of an extended reservation may not exceed those reasonably necessary to encompass the
petitioning Passamaquoddy tribal members.
[PL 1995, c. 388, §6 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 388, §8 (AFF).]
6. Full faith and credit. The State shall give full faith and credit to the judicial proceedings of
the Passamaquoddy Tribe. The Passamaquoddy Tribe shall give full faith and credit to the judicial
proceedings of the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi'kmaq Nation and
the State.
[PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §3 (NEW); PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. B, §4 (AFF).]

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