Maine Supreme Judicial Court
| Maine Supreme Judicial Court | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Established | 1830 |
| Country | Maine  United States  |
| Location | Varies; primarily Portland, Maine |
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| Authorized by | Maine Constitution |
| Decisions are appealed to | Supreme Court of the United States |
| Website | Official website |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | Leigh Ingalls Saufley |
| Since | October 20, 1997 |
| Lead position ends | December 6, 2017 |
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the state of Maine's judicial system. It is composed of seven justices, who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate. Justices serve for seven-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms that they may serve.
Known as the Law Court when sitting as an appellate court, other functions of the Court include hearing appeals of sentences longer than one year of incarceration, overseeing admission to the Bar and the conduct of its members, and being the rulemaking authority for all the State's courts.[1]
The Maine Court is one of the few state Supreme Courts in the United States authorized to issue advisory opinions. Such opinions are issued at the request of the Governor or Legislature, as set out in the Maine Constitution.[1]
It is also unusual for a state's highest appellate court in that its primary location is not that of the state's capital city, Augusta, partially because the Kennebec County Courthouse did not have a courtroom large enough to hold the Supreme Court's proceedings in.[2] The Court did meet there from 1830 until 1970, when it moved to the Cumberland County Courthouse on a permanent basis. The completed renovation of the Kennebec County Courthouse in 2015, which included expansion of the bench in its largest courtroom to permit all 7 MSJC justices to sit there, will allow the Court to meet there at least twice a year. It will also continue to meet in Portland, Bangor, and at high schools around the state.[3]
Current justices
As of January 1, 2015, the justices of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court were:
| Name | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Appointed By | Beginning Service | Prior Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leigh Ingalls Saufley (Chief Justice) | 1954 (age 70–71) | Angus King | October 20, 1997 | ||
| Joseph Jabar[4] | 1946 (age 78–79) | Waterville, Maine | John E. Baldacci | September 1, 2009 | Superior Court |
| Donald G. Alexander | 1942 (age 82–83) | Angus King | September 2, 1998 | ||
| Ellen A. Gorman | John E. Baldacci | October 1, 2007 | |||
| Andrew M. Mead | 1952 (age 72–73) | John E. Baldacci | April 2007 | ||
| Jeffrey L. Hjelm | 1956 (age 68–69) | Paul LePage | August 1, 2014[5] | Superior Court | |
| Thomas E. Humphrey | 1945 (age 79–80) | Paul LePage | 2015 | Chief Justice of Maine Superior Court |
There is one active retired justice.
| Name | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Appointed By | Beginning Service | Ended Service | Prior Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert W. Clifford [6] | May 2, 1937 | Lewiston, Maine | Joseph E. Brennan | August 1, 1986 | 2007 | Chief Justice of Superior Court |
See also
References
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- ↑ http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2009/09/01/maine_gets_new_supreme_court_judge/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news
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