2011 ANNUAL REPORT

MAINE JUDICIAL BRANCH

MISSION: To administer justice by providing a safe, accessible, efficient and impartial system
of dispute resolution that serves the public interest, protects individual rights, and instills respect for the law.
MAINE COURTS: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

MAINE STATE COURTS: AT A GLANCE

POPULATION OF MAINE.................................................1,328,361
GEOGRAPHIC AREA................................................... 30,843 sq. mi.
COURT LOCATIONS...................................................................... 39
FY11 EXPENDITURES:
Judicial Branch Operations............................................ $46,177,758
Personal Services ...................................$33,344,332
All Other Operation Expenses............$12,833,426
Guardians ad Litem, Psychological Exams.................... $2,781,366
Debt Service....................................................................... $6,736,006
TOTAL: $55,695,130
FY11 REVENUE:
Deposited to Maines General Fund..................................$35,710,075
Deposited to Dedicated Revenue Accounts......................$8,779,430
TOTAL: $44,489,505
JUDGES (Total).................................................................................. 60

The recently renovated courtroom in the Aroostook County

Courthouse in Houlton.

Supreme Judicial Court Justices............................... 7

Superior Court Justices...........................................17
District Court Judges...............................................36
FAMILY LAW MAGISTRATES......................................................... 8
STAFF (clerks, security & support)............................................ 425
TOTAL:
493

BUSINESS AND CONSUMER DOCKET

Supreme Judicial Court............................. 690

Superior Court .....................................16,232
Unified Criminal Dockets....................16,541
District Court......................................110,835
Violations Bureau................................116,490

SAFETY & SECURITY REMAIN TOP PRIORITIES

Dirigo Digital Media

TOTAL 2011 CASES FILED................................................... 260,788

Justice A. Mark Horton, Chief Justice of the Superior Court Thomas Humphrey and
Justice John Nivison.

The Business and Consumer Docket (BCD), was established in June 2007.
It was designed to improve the management and timely resolution of
increasingly complex civil cases by providing Maines business community
and consumers with prompt and consistent access to justice. Its caseload
is limited to disputes arising out of the operations and governance of
businesses as well as consumer rights claims pertaining to transactions and
dealings with business entities, and includes jury and nonjury civil cases
requiring specialized and differentiated judicial management.
The goal of the BCD is to provide parties with clarity regarding the
courts expectations for pretrial and trial processes; certainty regarding
the prompt scheduling of pretrial matters and trials; and to contribute to
a body of case law precedent to help potential litigants and their lawyers
have a better understanding of those laws.

Entry screening at the District Court in Biddeford.

In 2011, entry screening exceeded all previous years, with judicial

marshals and deputy sheriffs screening more than 463,000 persons as
they entered courthouses on over 1,800 court days throughout the
year. This meant that entry screening was provided about 21% of the
time courthouses were open.

In 2011, Justice A. Mark Horton joined Chief Justice Thomas Humphrey

and Justice John Nivison on the Business and Consumer Court, and the
BCD clerks office was moved to the Cumberland County Courthouse,
where BCD clerks manage cases from all over the state. The BCD
continues to conduct trials and hearings throughout the state, at court
locations that are convenient for the parties, witnesses and the court.

THE COURTS OF MAINE

SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

TRIAL COURT FILINGS FY11 TOTAL: 260,098

CIVIL FILINGS: 41,558

Kevin Brusie

Contract
Foreclosure
Tort
Other Civil
Small Claims
Money Judgments
FEDs (Eviction)
TOTAL(S):

Front Row: Justice Donald G. Alexander, Chief Justice Leigh I. Saufley,

Justice Jon D. Levy
Back Row: Justice Ellen A. Gorman, Justice Warren M. Silver,
Justice Andrew M. Mead, Justice Joseph M. Jabar

CHIEFS

SUPERIOR
473
1,530
989
1,202

4,194

DISTRICT
8,805
3,453
164
853
13,550
5,377
5,162
37, 364

Michael C. York

CRIMINAL FILINGS: 58,315

Distict Court Criminal..................................................31,988
District Ct. Probation Revocations...............................575
Superior Court Criminal................................................9,265
Sup. Ct. Probation Revocations..................................2,773
Unified Criminal Dockets...........................................13,230
UCD Probation Revocations...........................................484

From Left to Right: THOMAS E. HUMPHREY, Chief Justice, Superior Court;

LEIGH I. SAUFLEY, Chief Justice, Supreme Judicial Court; CHARLES C.
LAVERDIERE, Chief Judge, District Court; ROBERT E. MULLEN, Deputy
Chief Judge, District Court

DISTRICT COURT FAMILY DIVISION: 25,581

Juvenile......................................................................................3,124
Divorce.....................................................................................6,824
Other Family Relations....................................................2,634
Family Post-Judgment........................................................6,198
Child Protective...................................................................... 556
Protection from Abuse....................................................6,245

ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP

OTHER ACTIONS: 18,154

Mental Health (District Court)................................... 1,153
Protection from Harassment (District Court)... 4,155
Civil Violations (District Court & UCDs)........... 12,846
VIOLATIONS BUREAU

From Left to Right: LAURA OHANLON, Chief of Court Management;

TED GLESSNER, State Court Administrator; DEBORAH CARSON, Chief of
Finance and Administration

Traffic Infractions...........................................................116,490

TIME TO RESOLUTION OF CASES

Criminal Cases
200

SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL

350

150

295

301

FAMILY MATTERS

287

NUMBER OF DAYS

NUMBER OF DAYS

DISTRICT COURT CIVIL

300

100

50

250

150

253

231

200

194
173
160

POST-JUDG. FAMILY
JUVENILE

206
171

175
166

155

155

156

168

151

FY 10

FY 11

Superior Court
Criminal
District Court
Criminal

174

180

167

105

94

82

Portland UCD

52

71

79

Bangor UCD

n/a

60

79

The trial courts in Portland and Bangor have adopted a unified process
for criminal cases and have eliminated the need for transferring cases
from District to Superior Court. This model has simplified procedures
for litigants and stakeholders, has eliminated duplication of work by clerks,
and has substantially reduced the time for felony resolution.

50

2007

278

227

218

100

FY 09

291

2008

2009

2010

153

153

114

114

2011

Coordinated regional scheduling has greatly reduced the time it takes to

dispose of the most urgent cases those dealing with violence, children,
and families. For example, as illustrated by this graph, the average age of
pending juvenile cases has decreased significantly, from 160 days in 2007
to 114 days in 2011.
Data provided in this graph illustrates the average number of days from
filing date, for all cases that are open on June 30 each year.

FISCAL INFORMATION
GENERAL FUND AND JUDICIAL BRANCH EXPENDITURES
Attorney General 0.5% $13,226,147
General Government 0.9% $25,359,053

Interpreters 0.4% $240,425

Jury Costs 0.8% $472,746

Legislature 0.9% $24,615,869

Public Safety 1.0% $28,276,319
Education 39.6%
$1,131,638,021

Mental Health
Psych Exams
1.6% $846,592

Other 1.4% $40,302,581

Telecommunications
1.6% $871,981
JUDICIAL BRANCH
1.9% $55,695,130

Health and
Human Services
30.1%
$859,901,575

Personal services
59.9%
$33,344,332

Postage, Print &

Office Supplies
1.9% $1,066,934

Debt Service
12.1%
$6,736,006

Natural Resources
2.3%
$64,771,666
Treasurer of the State 3.1%
$89,292,650

University & Community

Colleges 9.4%
$268,331,934

Facilities 7.7%
$4,312,607

Sheriff & Security

Contracts 3.3%
$1,818,418
Guardians Ad Litem
3.5%
$1,934,774

Administrative & Financial

Services 3.7%
$104,759,499
Corrections
5.3%
$152,872,667

General
Operations 7.3%
$4,050,315

STATEWIDE GENERAL FUND

JUDICIAL BRANCH GENERAL

EXPENDITURES, FY'11
Total: $2,859,043,111

FUND EXPENDITURES FY11

Total: $55,695,130

In FY11, General Funds received by the Judicial Branch were less than 2% of the State total. Personal Services accounted for more than half (59.9%) of Judicial Branch expenditures.

FY11 REVENUE
Revenue Collected by the Judicial Branch

$ 55,000,000

Filing Trend: Fine-Related Filings

180,000

$ 50,000,000

160,000

$ 45,000,000

140,000

$ 40,000,000

120,000

$ 15,000,000
$ 10,000,000

$ 44,489,505

$ 20,000,000

$ 47,918,268

$ 25,000,000

$ 48,965,466

$ 30,000,000

$ 50,134,895

$ 47,215,404

$ 35,000,000

$ 5,000,000

100,000

FY 07

FY 08

FY 09

FY 10

FY 11

Traffic
Fines

$14,795,496

$15,339,081

$14,276,283

$14,021,155

$12,245,878

Court Fines

$17,882,826

$17,930,434

$15,845,961

$15,096,534

$14,394,383

Surcharges

$8,408,300

$8,770,421

$8,455,336

$8,089,914

$7,361,827

Fees

$6,128,782

$8,094,959

$10,387,886

$10,710,665

$10,487,417

TOTALS

$ 47,215,404

$ 50,134,895

$48,965,466

$47,918,268

$44,489,505

131,915

140,580

135,374

116,490

30,075

30,393

28,103

24,515

22,111

FY 07

FY 08

FY 09

FY 10

FY 11

80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000

$0

139,732

Traffic Citation Filings

Civil Violations & Criminal Filings

After reaching a record high in FY08, fine and related surcharge revenue has
decreased in recent years. The primary cause for the reduction is the decline
in the number of criminal cases, civil violations, and traffic citations filed in the
courts, as illustrated by the chart above.

REVENUE DISTRIBUTED BY THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

Local Ordinances 0.3% $121,938
Other Agencies 0.5% $213,721
Law Enforcement Reimbursement 0.7% $290,964
Judicial Branch Capital Account 0.7% $300,000

FY11 Revenue Distribution

Total: $44,489,505
All revenue collected by the Judicial
Branch is deposited into the States
General Fund and to other dedicated
accounts as required by Maine
Statutes. Sources of revenue include
fees, fines and surcharges.

Publications Fund 0.8% $351,592

Mediation 1.1% $495,899
Inland Fish & Wildlife 1.2% $533,271
General Fund 80.3%
$35,710,075

Victims Compensation 1.0% $468,424

Ct. Appt. Counsel Reimb. 0.9% $415,880
Foreclosure Mediation Fee 2.0% $905,529
County Jail Fund 1.9% $833,278
Criminal Justice Academy 2.3% $1,037,694
Highway Fund 2.5% $1,115,175
Civil Legal Services Fund 3.8% $1,696,065

COURT REGIONS AND CASES FILED

Traffic Citations: 116,490 Statewide

REGION 5
CASE TOTAL................... 18,816

REGION 8
CASE TOTAL..................... 8,125
REGIONAL POPULATION.........71,870

REGIONAL POPULATION.......171,458

COURT FACILITIES............................. 5

COURT FACILITIES............................. 6

Madawaska

PENOBSCOT 3,397 square miles

AROOSTOOK 6,671 square miles

Fort Kent

Bangor Superior..............................670
Penobscot UCD........................5,897
Bangor District............................5,818
Newport District......................2,359
Lincoln/Millinocket District....2,240

Caribou
Presque Isle

PISCATAQUIS 3,961 square miles

Caribou/Houlton Superior....... 1,194

Caribou District.............................. 1,414
Houlton District............................. 1,556
Presque Isle District..................... 2,673
Fort Kent/Madawaska District....1,288

REGION 7

Dover-Foxcroft Superior...........154
Dover-Foxcroft District.........1,678

CASE TOTAL..................... 8,743

REGIONAL POPULATION.........87,274
COURT FACILITIES............................. 3

REGION 4
CASE TOTAL................... 20,154

HANCOCK 1,587 square miles

REGIONAL POPULATION.......174,379
Houlton

COURT FACILITIES............................. 6

SOMERSET 3,924 square miles

WASHINGTON 2,563 square miles

Millinocket

Skowhegan Superior...................859
Skowhegan District..................5,056

Machias Superior...............................472
Machias District.............................. 1,700
Calais District................................... 1,382

Lincoln
Dover-Foxcroft

KENNEBEC 868 square miles

Augusta Superior......................1,757
Augusta District..........................7,079
Waterville District....................5,403

Newport

Calais
Machias

Bangor

Skowhegan

REGION 3

Ellsworth Superior............................502
Ellsworth District........................... 4,687

Farmington

CASE TOTAL................... 22,709

Rumford

REGIONAL POPULATION.......196,303

Waterville

COURT FACILITIES............................. 7

Farmington Superior....................351
Farmington District..................2,794

REGION 6

Augusta

South Paris

FRANKLIN 1,697 square miles

Ellsworth

Belfast

CASE TOTAL................... 16,574

Auburn

REGIONAL POPULATION.......148,272

Lewiston

Rockland

COURT FACILITIES............................. 6

Bridgton

OXFORD 2,077 square miles

South Paris Superior...................851

South Paris District...................2,604
Rumford District........................2,159

WALDO 730 square miles

Wiscasset

Portland

Belfast Superior..................................585
Belfast District................................. 3,079

Bath
West Bath

Springvale

ANDROSCOGGIN 468 square miles

KNOX 365 square miles

Biddeford

Auburn Superior.......................2,029
Lewiston District....................11,921

Rockland Superior............................578
Rockland District........................... 3,763

Alfred
York

REGION 2

LINCOLN 456 square miles

CASE TOTAL................... 25,488

Wiscasset Superior...........................591
Wiscasset District.......................... 2,481

REGIONAL POPULATION.......281,674
COURT FACILITIES............................. 2

SAGADAHOC 254 square miles

KEY

CUMBERLAND 835 square miles

Portland Superior.....................1,262
Cumberland UCD................10,644
Portland District.....................10,014
Bridgton District........................3,568

District Court

Superior Court

s District and Superior

in the same city/town.

REGION 1
CASE TOTAL................... 22,999

District and Superior Court

occupy the same building.

Bath Superior.......................................564
West Bath District........................ 4,933
Counties grouped together
by color are part of a single
court REGION, where
resources and scheduling are
coordinated.

If You Are In
Immediate Danger
Call 9-1-1.

REGIONAL POPULATION.......197,131
COURT FACILITIES............................. 4

YORK 991 square miles

Alfred Superior..........................3,813
Biddeford District.....................9,595
Springvale District.....................5,746
York District.................................3,845

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Visit the Courts web page at www.courts.state.me.us where you will find:
PUBLICATIONS: A Guide to Small Claims A Guide to Protection from Abuse and Harassment

Citizens Guide to the Courts Child Protective Handbooks

INFORMATION about court proceedings and offices

LINKS to legal resources, volunteer opportunities, court rules, forms and opinions

PROTECTION FROM
VIOLENCE

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF
THE COURTS
PO Box 4820
Portland, ME 04112-4820
(207) 822-0792
(207) 822-0701 (TTY)

For information about

Protection Orders visit
www.courts.state.me.us/
maine_courts/district/
protection_orders.html

An expanded version of this report is available at www.courts.state.me.us/

reports_pubs/ reports/annual_reports/index.shtml
* Population statistics and square mileage data source: US Census Bureau