The northernmost New England state, Maine is home to 3,600 lawyers. Attorneys in Maine practice in the state’s Supreme Court, Superior Court, District Court, and occasionally in Maine’s Specialized Courts. These courts deal with moving violations, small claims, probation, and drug treatment programs for certain offenses. Like many other states, Maine offers alternative programs for minor drug offenses. In some cases these programs allows offenders to erase or significantly reduce their drug charges.

Maine is the longtime vacation home of the Bush family, who regularly stay in their home in Kennebunkport. Ironically, Maine has never voted for George W. Bush, and only voted for the elder Bush once. During the election of Bill Clinton, third party candidate Ross Perot actually garnered more votes than incumbent George Bush Sr.

As a New England state, Maine also had its fair share of Blue laws, most of which have been repealed. Blue laws are vestiges of New England’s Puritan heritage. They generally codify certain traditional morals and duties, such as the consumption of alcohol on Sundays. In Maine, for instance, a now repealed Blue law made it illegal for people to watch an outdoor sporting event on Sundays, unless and until the city in which it occurred voted in a referendum to allow the practice.

Locate Maine Lawyers & Maine Attorneys Quickly

A case of note from Maine is of primary importance to Constitutional scholars, federal regulators, and fishermen. Maine v. Taylor is one of the rarest Supreme Court decisions ever. In 1986, the Supreme Court upheld a Maine ban on out of state “baitfish,” citing environmental concerns. Usually, the Supreme Court never allows individual states to discriminate against out of state products in favor of its own. Such regulations are considered solely within the realm of Congress thanks to the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. In this rare case, however, the court upheld the ban and allowed Maine to prevent all out of state baitfish from being sold in the state.

If you need a lawyer in Maine, consider visiting LegalMatch.com to help you in your search. Alternatively, explore the following links for more information on Maine laws and its judiciary:

• Maine Judicial Branch Homepage
• Maine State Bar