§ 1 Title; effective date; severability
§ 2 Definitions
§ 3 All crimes defined by statute; civil actions
§ 4 Classification of crimes in this Code
§ 4-A Crimes and civil violations outside the code
§ 4-B Civil violations
§ 6 Application to crimes outside the code
§ 7 Territorial applicability
§ 8 Statute of limitations
§ 9 Indictment and jurisdiction
§ 9-A Allegation of prior conviction when sentence enhanced
§ 10-A Jurisdiction over juveniles
§ 12 De minimis infractions
§ 13 Other offenses
§ 13-A Included offenses
§ 14 Separate trials
§ 15 Warrantless arrests by a law enforcement officer
§ 15-A Issuance of summons for criminal offense
§ 16 Warrantless arrests by a private person
§ 17 Enforcement of civil violations
§ 18 Homelessness crisis protocol
§ 19 Crimes involving minors
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Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 17-A > Part 1 > Chapter 1 - Preliminary

  • Acquittal:
    1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
    2. A verdict of "not guilty."
     
  • Adjudication: means a finding by a court that a person has committed a traffic infraction and includes the acceptance by the clerk of the violations bureau or any judicial division of an answer of not contested. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Adult: means a person who has attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Alcohol and drug program: means the alcohol and other drug education, evaluation and treatment program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services under Title 5, chapter 521, subchapter 5. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • Alcohol level: means either grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood or grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • 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.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Board: means the Board of Licensure of Professional Investigators under section 8103?A, as established under Title 5, section 12004?G, subsection 29?D. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Bureau: means the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Bus: means a motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 15 persons, including the operator. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Chief: means the Chief of the State Police or the chief's designee. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Department: means the Department of Transportation. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • drugs: includes any natural or artificial chemical substance that, when taken into the human body, can impair the ability of the person to safely operate a motor vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • highway: means a public way. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Ignition interlock device: means a device that connects a breath analyzer to a motor vehicle's ignition system. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • in writing: include printing and other modes of making legible words. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Investigative assistant: means a person who acts as a professional investigator under the supervision of a licensed professional investigator in accordance with this chapter. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Law enforcement officer: means a person who by virtue of public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for crimes, whether that duty extends to all crimes or is limited to specific crimes. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • License: includes , but is not limited to, a nonresident operating privilege and the privilege of a person to apply for or obtain a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Licensee: means any person licensed under this chapter as a professional investigator or investigative assistant. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Month: means a calendar month. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on railroad tracks, but does not include:
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Nonresident: means a person whose legal residence is not in the State. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • OAS: means to operate after the Secretary of State or a court has suspended the driver's license. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Operator: means an individual who drives or is in control of a vehicle or who is exercising control over or steering a towed vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • OUI: means operating under the influence of intoxicants or with an excessive alcohol level under section 2411, 2453, 2453?A, 2454, 2456, 2457 or 2472. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • OUI offense: means an OUI conviction or suspension for failure to submit to a test. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • Owner: means a person holding title to a vehicle or having exclusive right to the use of the vehicle for a period of 30 days or more. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Parking area: means an area designed for use as access or parking for patrons and customers of establishments to which the public is invited. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, fiduciary, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Person: means any natural person, firm, association, partnership, corporation, government agency or subdivision, or any employee or agent thereof. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Private investigation: means for any consideration whatsoever, to agree to obtain, or to in fact obtain information with reference to any of the following:
    • A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
  • Professional investigator: means any person who engages in or solicits business or accepts employment to conduct private investigations. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 Sec. 8103
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Public way: means a way, owned and maintained by the State, a county or a municipality, over which the general public has a right to pass. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • registered mail: when used in connection with any requirement for notice by mail shall mean either registered mail or certified mail. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Registration: means the registration certificate, plates and renewal devices pertaining to the registration of a vehicle, including temporary registered gross weight increases. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Resident: means a person who has declared or established residency in this State or has been domiciled in this State for a period of at least 30 days, except for persons in compliance with section 109, subsection 1. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • test: means a test or tests used to determine alcohol level or the presence of a drug or drug metabolite by analysis of blood, breath or urine. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, bicycles and other conveyances either singly or together using public way for travel. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Traffic infraction: means any violation of any provision of this Title, or of any rules established under this Title, not expressly defined as a crime or as a civil violation and otherwise not punishable by incarceration. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Under the influence of intoxicants: means being under the influence of alcohol, a drug other than alcohol, a combination of drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 2401
  • Vehicle: means a device for conveyance of persons or property on a way. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Way: means the entire width between boundary lines of a road, highway, parkway, street or bridge used for vehicular traffic, whether public or private. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101