Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 14 Sec. 51

  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
In all actions on insurance policies, a complaint on an account annexed, with an allegation that the plaintiff has complied with all conditions of the policy of insurance mentioned in the account annexed, shall be deemed sufficient. The account annexed shall state the number of the policy and the amount claimed as due, both as principal sum and interest, if any. The fact that the amount claimed in the account annexed varies from the amount found to be due the plaintiff shall not defeat the action unless there be a fraudulent claim of an excessive amount. If the defendant relies upon the breach of any condition of the policy by the plaintiff as a defense, it shall set the same up by answer, and all conditions, the breach of which is known to the defendant and not so pleaded, shall be deemed to have been complied with by the plaintiff. The plaintiff by a reply to the answer may set up any matter waiving or legally excusing his noncompliance with conditions as alleged by the defendant. Nothing in this section shall be construed as changing in any way the common law burden of proof as to such matters as are so put in issue under the pleadings. [PL 1979, c. 541, Pt. A, §137 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY

PL 1979, c. 541, §A137 (AMD).