Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 4-B (2026)

Civil violations

✓ current as of May 2026

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1. All civil violations are expressly declared not to be criminal offenses. They are enforceable by the Attorney General, the Attorney General's representative or any other appropriate public official in a civil action to recover what may be designated a fine, penalty or other sanction, or to secure the forfeiture that may be decreed by the law.

[PL 2007, c. 173, §3 (AMD).]

2. A law or ordinance may be expressly designated as a civil violation.

[PL 1985, c. 282, §3 (NEW).]

3. A law or ordinance which prohibits defined conduct, but does not provide an imprisonment penalty, is a civil violation, enforceable in accordance with subsection 1. A law or ordinance which is stated to be a criminal violation or which otherwise uses language indicating that it is a crime, but does not provide an imprisonment penalty is a civil violation, enforceable in accordance with subsection 1, unless the law or ordinance is an exception to the operation of this subsection.

[PL 1985, c. 282, §3 (NEW).]

4. Evidence obtained pursuant to an unlawful search and seizure shall not be admissible in a civil violation proceeding arising under Title 22, section 2383.

[PL 1985, c. 282, §3 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1985, c. 282, §3 (NEW). PL 2007, c. 173, §3 (AMD).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 19 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1987–2023 · leading case: In Re Wage Payment Litig., 2000 ME 162 (Me. 2000).

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In Re Wage Payment Litig., 2000 ME 162 (Me. 2000). · cites it 2× “" 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp.1999). The civil forfeiture referenced in section 626-A is the type of "civil violation" that is solely enforceable by the Attorney General unless otherwise specified.”

Cook v. Lisbon Sch. Comm., 682 A.2d 672 (Me. 1996). “Although the School Committee is correct that only the Attorney General or his representative may enforce the Freedom of Access Act by seeking imposition of a fine pursuant to section 410, see 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp. 1995) (“All civil violations are .”

Town of Boothbay v. Jenness, 2003 ME 50 (Me. 2003). “There are several different contexts in which landowners and their tenants may each have responsibility for incidents or activity occurring on the landowner's property.”

City of Portland v. DePaolo, 531 A.2d 669 (Me. 1987). “” See also 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B(l) (Supp.1986) (“All civil violations are expressly declared not to be criminal offenses.”

State of Maine v. Robert Santerre, 2023 ME 63 (Me. 2023). “” 17-A M.R.S. § 4-B(3) (2023). Civil penalties, unlike criminal punishments, are coercive and are imposed to incentivize compliance with the law rather than to punish.”

Town of Ogunquit v. McGarva, 570 A.2d 320 (Me. 1990). “104, §§ A, 46 and C, 10. None of these revisions apply to this case.”

Scola v. Town of Sanford, 1997 ME 119 (Me. 1997). “See 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp.1996) (“All civil violations are .”

State v. Mogan, 627 A.2d 527 (Me. 1993). “See 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp. 1992) and 17-A M.”

State of Maine v. Thomas E. Palmer, 2017 ME 183 (Me. 2017). “See 17-A M.R.S. § 4-B (2016); 29-A M.R.S. § 2413-A; M.”

State of Maine v. Roper (Me. Super. Ct 2009). · cites it 2× “Seymore, CR-09-3427 (Unified Criminal Docket- Cumberland), order dated September 1, 2009 (Wheeler, J), that the intent of the legislature was to make first offense engaging a prostitute a Class E crime notwithstanding 17-A M.R.S. § 4-B(3). 1 In reaching this conclusion, the…”

Gluic v. Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2013). · cites it 2× “2d at 680 (citing 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp. 1995)). The law remains the same today.”

Cent. Maine Healthcare Corp. v. Maine Bureau of Ins. (Me. Super. Ct 2014). · cites it 2× “2d at 680 (citing 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp. 1995)). The law remains the same today.”

Show all 19 citing cases →

— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 4-B(1) — 1 case

Gluic v. Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2013). “2d at 680 (citing 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp. 1995)). The law remains the same today.”

— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 4-B(3) — 4 cases

Town of Boothbay v. Jenness, 2003 ME 50 (Me. 2003). “There are several different contexts in which landowners and their tenants may each have responsibility for incidents or activity occurring on the landowner's property.”

State of Maine v. Robert Santerre, 2023 ME 63 (Me. 2023). “” 17-A M.R.S. § 4-B(3) (2023). Civil penalties, unlike criminal punishments, are coercive and are imposed to incentivize compliance with the law rather than to punish.”

Town of Ogunquit v. McGarva, 570 A.2d 320 (Me. 1990). “104, §§ A, 46 and C, 10. None of these revisions apply to this case.”

State of Maine v. Roper (Me. Super. Ct 2009). “Seymore, CR-09-3427 (Unified Criminal Docket- Cumberland), order dated September 1, 2009 (Wheeler, J), that the intent of the legislature was to make first offense engaging a prostitute a Class E crime notwithstanding 17-A M.R.S. § 4-B(3). 1 In reaching this conclusion, the…”

— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 4-B(l) — 5 cases

City of Portland v. DePaolo, 531 A.2d 669 (Me. 1987). “” See also 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B(l) (Supp.1986) (“All civil violations are expressly declared not to be criminal offenses.”

Ellis Constr., INC. v. Town of Famingdale (Me. Super. Ct 2018).

Chibroski v. Landmarc Constr. Servs., LLC (Me. Super. Ct 2018).

Tempesta v. Town of Benton (Me. Super. Ct 2019).

Cent. Maine Healthcare Corp. v. Maine Bureau of Ins. (Me. Super. Ct 2014). “2d at 680 (citing 17-A M.R.S.A. § 4-B (Supp. 1995)). The law remains the same today.”

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