On October 4, 2023, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed sweeping tax changes into law. One of the most important of these changes was to the Commonwealth’s estate tax exemption. Historically, the exemption amount was one of the lowest in the country ($1M/ per estate). The new law raises that amount to ($2M/ per estate) and… Read more »
Getting Your License Back After an OUI
In Maine, drunk driving is called “operating under the influence,” or “OUI”. The officer who arrested you will send a police report to the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, which will administratively suspend your notice. If you are ultimately convicted of OUI In court, the court will also suspend your license. For a first offense… Read more »
Prenuptial Agreements
Do they say: “I don’t trust you and expect that we are going to wind up getting divorced anyway” ; or Do they say: “You and I have once before gone through a very contentious, hurtful, hateful and litigious divorce in the past and we do not ever want that to occur between us“? If… Read more »
Drunk Driving in Maine With An Out-Of-State License
Being arrested for drunk driving or operating under the influence (OUI) in Maine with an out-of-state license can create problems in your home state. States share information about drunk driving convictions and license suspensions, and many states treat an out-of-state OUI conviction as if it were an in-state conviction. How OUI Arrests Of Out-Of-State Drivers… Read more »
Hiring The Best Lawyer For Your Maine OUI Charge
A person charged with a Maine drunk driving or operating under the influence (OUI) charge faces jail time, fines, and license suspensions. It is therefore important to hire an experienced OUI defense attorney as soon as possible. There is no “best” lawyer for OUI defense; there are many knowledgeable lawyers who do a fine job.… Read more »
Yes . . . You Do Need a Will!
According to a recent report from Morgan Stanley, only 39% of individuals earning between $40,000 and $ 80,000 per year have a will. This means that 61% of those in that group do NOT have a will. If you do not have a will, the state government decides who will get your assets–such as your… Read more »
Refusal to Take a Breathalyzer or Blood Test in Maine: Laws & Penalties
Believing that a test of .08 or above is required for a drunk driving conviction, many people who are arrested for OUI refuse to take a breath test. Doing so may deprive the State of a test result, but it will not prevent the State from charging you with OUI. Worse yet, a refusal can… Read more »
Appealing A Divorce or Family Law Judgment in Maine
If you disagree with a decision from a Maine court in a divorce or other family law case, you may be able to file an appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, sitting as the Law Court. The attorneys at Libby O’Brien Kingsley & Champion are experienced in family law and have had success in… Read more »
Maine Law on deer baiting and hunting over deer bait
What are Maine’s laws on deer baiting and hunting over deer bait? Feeding or Baiting Deer (12 M.R.S. § 10659): This law provides that, “[a] person may not place salt or any other bait or food in a place to entice deer to that place from June 1st to the start of an open hunting… Read more »
First Circuit doubles down on “Pretext-Plus” Test
The First Circuit recently reaffirmed its decision in Feliciano de la Cruz v. El Conquistador Resort & Country Club, 218 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2000). In Feliciano de la Cruz, the First Circuit affirmed a grant of summary judgment on a national original discrimination claim, even though the plaintiff case could point to evidence that… Read more »