In Cynthia (Pray) Wood McKenna v. Thomas Pray, 2024 ME 58, the Maine Supreme Court agreed that the trial court double counted property and engaged in an unsustainable exercise of discretion when it awarded spousal support and remanded for a new trial on those issues, as well as attorney fees.http...
"The jury could not have reasonably concluded that the victim's injuries . . . were the product of different acts."
When a judge convicts someone of a crime in Maine, he or she has considerable discretion as to the sentence imposed. The length of the incarceration will depend on a number of predetermined factors, as well. According to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, the classification of the crime de...
If suspected of driving drunk, you can be charged with a criminal offense called operating under the influence (OUI) in Maine or driving under the influence (DUI) in New Hampshire. In Maine, OUI is a misdemeanor for a first offense, which carries a $500 fine, a suspended driver's license for 150 ...
Many young people across Maine and New Hampshire consider the college years a time for experimentation, but when a college student begins experimenting with drugs, it can come back to bite him or her in more ways than one. At Hansen Law Offices, PLLC, we recognize that, in addition to any crimina...
Facing criminal charges in Maine is a tough situation. You may get advice from many different people that you need to secure a criminal defense attorney. Before you hire one, though, you should understand what your attorney can do for you and how he or she can help you with your case. This can ma...
Whether behind the wheel of a truck or a lobster boat, penalties for operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol are generally the same in Maine. Law enforcement officers may arrest and charge individuals found with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08% or more with an Operating Under the ...
One Massachusetts man was sentenced to 12 and one-half years in prison for fentanyl possession with the intent to distribute. The 32-year-old man was arrested in 2017 after a drug overdose took the life of a 27-year-old man in Brunswick, Maine. The hefty sentence reflects the court's contention t...
Police in certain states are taking roadside blood samples to catch impaired drivers, and it is causing a great deal of controversy. Currently, Maine is one of nine states in the U.S. with law enforcement phlebotomy programs. Other states include: Rhode Island Pennsylvania Indiana Minnesot...
New Hampshire residents may assume that jail inmates are behind bars because they have been convicted of committing a crime, but this is not necessarily true. Thousands of people are sent to state prisons each year before their trials have even started because they cannot afford to post bail, and...
Law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire and around the country claim that civil asset forfeiture is a valuable tool in the war against crime. Asset forfeiture allows police to seize money, cars and other assets that they suspect are linked to criminal activity like drug trafficking, but a recen...
If you drive about 150 miles northeast of Kennebunk, you will arrive in Bangor. It is there and in Steuben (about 55 miles southeast of Bangor) that Maine Drug Enforcement agent reported seizing more than a pound of fentanyl. Law enforcement officials said they arrested a 65-year-old Steuben man...
DUI charges are no laughing matter. The penalties can be life altering even for first-time offenders. However, just because you face a charge, does not mean you don't have a defense. Anything from an improper stoppage to an officer's failure to deliver your rights can get your charge dropped. Wh...
Driving under the influence (DUI) is driving under the influence no matter what, right? While DUI is a serious offense in any circumstance, there is a more severe form of DUI known as aggravated DUI. An aggravated DUI occurs when the driver's actions create a greater danger beyond drinking and dr...
You've climbed behind the wheel when you were unfit to drive, and the result is of a DUI/OUI conviction. Your life may seem in disarray and your livelihood may be hanging in the balance. Fortunately, you do have some options for getting certain driving privileges restored. New Hampshire and Main...
The northeast is one of the best areas in the nation during the fall season. The amount of festivals that occur and trees that change leaf colors gets many residents excited for October and November every year. However, the seasonal change also brings newer hazards to motorists. While summer oft...
I encourage my clients to email or call me any time, day or night. If in New Hampshire call 603-766-1970 and if in Maine, call 207-467-3767 for help in the complicated issues of criminal law and family law. Schedule a free initial consultation as soon as possible to start yourself off on the right path.