Maine Superior Court Explained

The Maine Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in the Maine state court system.^[1]

All state jury trials are held in the Superior Court. The court is located in each of Maine's 16 counties (with two locations in Aroostook County), in eight judicial regions.^[2] The Court consists of 18 justices who all have statewide jurisdiction and travel to the different courthouses to hold court, with a number of active retired judges as well.^{[3] [4] [5]} Justices are nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate and are appointed to seven-year terms.^{[6] [7]}

Maine's Supreme Judicial Court created a statewide Business and Consumer Docket (BCD),^{[8] [9]} which includes within its jurisdiction complex case types that might be found on other states' business and commercial court dockets; but also includes, for example, class actions and complex consumer rights cases arising out of business or government dealings. Cases eligible for this specialized docket are cases that could otherwise have been heard in the Superior Court or Maine's District Court.^{[10] [11]} The BCD has a distinct set of procedural rules.^[12] The BCD has two assigned judges from either the Superior or District Courts, who are designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court.^{[13] [14]} As of June 2024, the current BCD judges are Superior Court judge Thomas McKeon and District Court judge Michael A. Duddy.^[15] Then Superior Court Chief Justice Thomas E. Humphrey was one of the first BCD judges,^[16] along with District Court Chief Justice John C. Nivison.^{[17] [18] [19]}

Chief Justices of the Maine Superior Court

The position of Chief Justice of the Maine Superior Court was authorized by the Maine Legislature, P.L. 1983, c. 269, § 7, to be effective on January 1, 1984. The Chief Justice is designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court to "serve at the pleasure and under the supervision of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court and shall be responsible for the operation of the Superior Court." 4 MRSA §101-A.^[20]

Current justices

As of, the justices of the Maine Superior Court are:^[21]

	Name	Residence	County	Began service	First appointed by
107		Rome	Kennebec
110		Bangor	Penobscot
111		Bangor	Penobscot
112		Auburn	Androscoggin
113		Kennebunk	York
114		Bowdoinham	Sagadahoc
115		Waterville	Kennebec
118		Bangor	Penobscot
120		Portland	Cumberland
122		Houlton	Aroostook
123		Falmouth	Cumberland
124		Falmouth	Cumberland
125		West Bath	Sagadahoc
126		Cape Elizabeth	Cumberland
127		Bangor	Penobscot
128		Falmouth	Cumberland
129		Arundel	York

Active-retired justices of the Maine Superior Court:

• Roland A. Cole
• Paul A. Fritzsche
• E. Allen Hunter
• Nancy D. Mills
• William R. Stokes
• Thomas D. Warren

Former justices

The former justices of the court are:^{[20] [22]}

	Name	Residence	County	Began service	Ended service	First appointed by	Reason for termination
1		Portland	Cumberland				resigned
2		Portland	Cumberland				death
3		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
4		Augusta	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
5		Portland	Cumberland				death
6		Houlton	Aroostook				seat abolished
7		Waterville	Kennebec				retired
8		Portland	Cumberland				death
9		Portland	Cumberland				term expired
10		Hallowell	Kennebec				retired (active retired)
11		Auburn	Androscoggin				retired (active retired)
12		South Portland	Cumberland				term expired
13		Patten	Penobscot				death
14		Augusta	Kennebec				retired (active retired)
15		Bangor	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
16		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
17		Auburn	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
18		Biddeford	York				death
19		Guilford	Piscataquis				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
20		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
21		Fort Fairfield	Aroostook				retired
22		Lewiston	Androscoggin				death
23		Bangor	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
24		Rumford	Oxford				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
25		Bangor	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
26		Augusta	Kennebec				death
27		Houlton	Aroostook				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
28		York	York				retired (active retired)
29		Cape Elizabeth	Cumberland				death
30		Skowhegan	Somerset				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
31		Augusta	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
32		Rockland	Knox				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
33		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
34		Ellsworth	Hancock				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
35		Auburn	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
36		Cape Elizabeth	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
37		Presque Isle	Aroostook				death
38		Waterville	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
39		Hampden	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
40		Sanford	York				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
41		Auburn	Androscoggin				death
42		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
43		Bangor	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
44		Waterville	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
45		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
46		Houlton	Aroostook				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
47		Lewiston	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
48		Bath	Sagadahoc				resigned
49		Lewiston	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
50		Aurora	Hancock				retired
51		Augusta	Kennebec				retired (active retired)
52		Bath	Sagadahoc				retired
53		Lewiston	Androscoggin				retired (medical disability)
54		Kennebunkport	York				retired
55		Portland	Cumberland				retired
56		Bangor	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
57		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
58		Rumford	Oxford				retired
59		Gardiner	Kennebec				retired
60		Presque Isle	Aroostook				death
61		Bangor	Penobscot				retired (active retired)
62		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
63		Bangor	Penobscot				retired
64		Van Buren	Aroostook				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
65		Portland	Cumberland				retired
66		Bangor	Penobscot				retired (active retired)
67		Lewiston	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
68		Lincolnville	Waldo				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
69		South Portland	Cumberland				retired (active retired)
70		Ellsworth	Hancock				retired
71		Augustua	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
72		Lewiston	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
73		Portland	Cumberland				retired (active retired)
74		Mount Vernon	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
75		Milo	Piscataquis				resigned
76		Waterville	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
77		Yarmouth	Cumberland				retired (active retired)
78		Berwick	York				retired (active retired)
79		Lewiston	Androscoggin				retired (active retired)
80		Caribou	Aroostook				retired
81		York	York				retired (active retired)
82		China	Kennebec				retired
83		Old Town	Penobscot				resigned
84		South Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
85		Ellsworth	Hancock				retired
86		Pownal	Cumberland				retired (active retired)
87		Wells	York				retired (active retired)
88		Bangor	Penobscot				resigned
89		Bangor	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
90		Cornville	Somerset				retired (active retired)
91		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
92		Belfast	Waldo				retired
93		Kennebunk	York				retired
94		Damariscotta	Lincoln				retired
95		Waterville	Kennebec				retired (active retired)
96		Portland	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
97		Augusta	Kennebec				retired (active retired)
98		Dixmont	Penobscot				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
99		Sanford	York				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
100		Brunswick	Cumberland				retired (active retired)
101		Durham	Androscoggin				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
102		Caribou	Aroostook				retired (active retired)
103		Waterville	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
104		Kittery	York				retired (active retired)
105		Falmouth	Cumberland				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
106		Holden	Penobscot				retired
108		Winslow	Kennebec				resigned
109		Morrill	Waldo				retired
116		Augusta	Kennebec				retired (active retired)
117		South Paris	Oxford				elevated to D. Me.
119		Biddeford	York				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court
121		Wayne	Kennebec				elevated to Maine Supreme Judicial Court

See also

• Courts of Maine

External links

• Maine Superior Court

Notes and References

1. Web site: Superior Court; civil jurisdiction (Maine Revised Statutes Title 4, §105) . 2024-06-08 . legislature.maine.gov.
2. Web site: Superior Court: State of Maine Judicial Branch . 2024-06-08 . www.courts.maine.gov.
3. Web site: Constitution of court (Maine Revised Statutes Title 4, §101) . 2024-06-08 . legislature.maine.gov.
4. Web site: Superior Court: State of Maine Judicial Branch . 2024-06-08 . www.courts.maine.gov.
5. Web site: Justice or Active Retired Justice of Superior Court assigned to sit in District Court (Maine Revised Statutes Title 4 §121) . 2024-06-08 . legislature.maine.gov.
6. http://janus.state.me.us/legis/const/Constitution2005-07.htm#P213_51255 Me. Const. art. V, § 8
7. Web site: About: State of Maine Judicial Branch . 2024-06-08 . www.courts.maine.gov.
8. Web site: Business and Consumer Court: State of Maine Judicial Branch . 2024-05-13 . www.courts.maine.gov.
9. Web site: Maine Rule of Civil Procedure 130 .
10. Web site: District Court; civil jurisdiction (Maine Revised Statutes Title 4, §152) . 2024-06-08 . legislature.maine.gov.
11. Web site: District Court: State of Maine Judicial Branch . 2024-06-08 . www.courts.maine.gov.
12. Web site: Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Chapter XIV, Business and Consumer Docket Procedural Rules (130-138) .
13. Web site: November 17, 2008 . State of Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Administrative Order JB-07-1 (A. 11-08), Establishment of the Business and Consumer Docket .
14. Web site: Maine Rule of Civil Procedure 130 .
15. Web site: Business and Consumer Court: State of Maine Judicial Branch . 2024-06-08 . www.courts.maine.gov.
16. Web site: Humphrey . Justice Thomas . January 30, 2018 . Fiber Materials, Inc. v. Maurice Subilia, et. al., Business and Consumer Court, Docket No. BCD-WB-07-317 .
17. Web site: 2013-09-23 . Colby grad, Winslow resident Nivison promoted to federal bench . 2024-06-08 . Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
18. Web site: Key Equipment Finance, Inc. v. Benjamin Hawkins, et al., Business and Consumer Docket, Docket No. BCD-WB-CIV-07-017 .
19. Web site: Chief Justice Superior Court Thomas E. Humphrey & Chief Justice District Court John C. Nivison . June 1, 2007 . State of Maine Business and Consumer Docket, Standing Order Regarding Transfers of Venue .
20. Web site: Maine Superior Court Chronology . 2010-07-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715083828/http://www.pierceatwood.com/files/816_SJC%20Chronology.pdf . 2011-07-15 . dead .
21. Web site: Superior Court Justices. State of Maine Judicial Branch. November 18, 2023.
22. Web site: Senate Records. Maine State Legislature. November 18, 2023.