Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 14
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6654 (2026)

Appearance of interested parties

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If any person so summoned appears and claims title or an easement in the premises, or voluntarily appears as aforesaid and claims title or such easement, he shall by answer show cause why he should not be required to bring an action and try such title, or his title to such easement. The court shall make such decree respecting the bringing and prosecuting of such action as seems equitable and just. If any person so summoned appears and disclaims all right and title adverse to the plaintiff, he recovers his costs. If the court upon hearing finds that the allegations of the complaint are true and that notice by publication has been given as ordered, it shall make and enter a decree that all persons named in the complaint and all persons alleged to be unknown claiming by, through or under persons so named, and all persons named as grantees in any deed given by the defendant and recorded after the filing of the certificate, and all persons claiming under such grantee who have not so appeared, or who, having appeared, have disclaimed all right and title adverse to the plaintiff, or who, having appeared, shall disobey the order of the court to bring an action and try their title, shall be forever debarred and estopped from having or claiming any right or title adverse to the plaintiff in the premises described in the complaint; which decree shall within 30 days after it is finally granted be recorded in the registry of deeds for the county or district where the land lies, and shall be effectual to bar all right, title and interest, and all easements, of all persons, whether adults or minors, upon whom notice has been served, personally or by publication, and all persons named as grantees in any deed given by the defendant and recorded after the filing of said certificate and all persons claiming under such grantees. The court may in its discretion appoint agents or guardians ad litem to represent minors or other supposed claimants. If any person appears and claims an easement, however acquired, in such premises, he may bring an action to try the title thereto, alleging in his complaint how said easement was acquired and issue shall be framed accordingly. Any party may at his option assert such title or such easement by counterclaim in the plaintiff's action, but he shall not be required to do so. Trial of any action brought pursuant to a decree hereunder or of any counterclaim asserting such title or such easement shall be by jury, if brought in the Superior Court, unless waived.   [PL 1971, c. 117, §5 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1971, c. 117, §5 (AMD).
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 1975–2017 · leading case: James N. Levis v. Gustav Konitzky, 2016 ME 167, 151 A.3d 20.
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James N. Levis v. Gustav Konitzky, 2016 ME 167, 151 A.3d 20. “See 14 M.R.S. §§ 6654, 6656. By a subsequent order dated August 31, 2011, the court extended the deadline “for a thirty-day period.”
Gutcheon v. Becton, 585 A.2d 818 (Me. 1991). · cites it 2× “The Frenches, then the current owners of Lot 49, brought the present action pursuant to 14 M.R.S.A. § 6654 (1980), claiming a prescriptive easement over the access road as ingress to Lot 49.”
Colquhoun v. Webber, 684 A.2d 405 (Me. 1996). “The effect of the preliminary judgment pur *409 suant to 14 M.R.S.A. § 6654 simply left Web-ber to her proof on her counterclaim to establish her right to use the Dan Coates Road.”
Chickering v. Yates, 420 A.2d 1219 (Me. 1980). · cites it 2× “On at least two occasions the case reached the state of scheduled jury trial without either party recognizing the necessity for a preliminary order by the court sitting without jury under 14 M.R.S.A. § 6654. That section provides in part: “The court shall make such decree *1220…”
Bell v. Town of Wells, 510 A.2d 509 (Me. 1986). “See 14 M.R.S.A. §§ 6654, 6656 (1980). 3 . Counts III, IV and V sought relief solely against the Town and are not at issue in the instant appeal.”
Brown v. Heirs of Fuller, 347 A.2d 127 (Me. 1975). “, guardian ad litem and agent under 14 M.R.S.A. § 6654 for all unnamed persons.”
Spurwink Woods, LLC v. Cusack, No. CUMre-17-0028 (Me. Super. Ct July 12, 2017). “14 M.R.S. § 6654. Here, Spurwink has met the time requirement for their quiet title claim where quitclaim deeds were issued from the Town to Spurwink in 2005.”
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