1. Signed by principal; acknowledged. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal or in the principal’s conscious presence by another individual directed by the principal to sign the principal’s name on the power of attorney. A signature on a power of attorney is presumed to be genuine if the principal acknowledges the signature before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments. A power of attorney under this Part is not valid unless it is acknowledged before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.

[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]

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Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C Sec. 5-905

  • Agent: includes an original agent, coagent, successor agent and a person to whom an agent's authority is delegated. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C Sec. 5-902
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality or any other legal or commercial entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C Sec. 5-902
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Power of attorney: means a writing or other record that grants authority to an agent to act in the place of the principal, whether or not the term "power of attorney" is used. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C Sec. 5-902
  • Principal: means an individual who grants authority to an agent in a power of attorney. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C Sec. 5-902
  • Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership, whether real or personal or legal or equitable, or any interest or right therein. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C Sec. 5-902
  • Sign: means , with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record:
2. Notices for durable power of attorney. A durable power of attorney under this Part is not valid unless it contains the following notices substantially in the following form:
“Notice to the Principal: As the “Principal” you are using this power of attorney to grant power to another person (called the Agent) to make decisions about your property and to use your property on your behalf. Under this power of attorney you give your Agent broad and sweeping powers to sell or otherwise dispose of your property without notice to you. Under this document your Agent will continue to have these powers after you become incapacitated. The powers that you give your Agent are explained more fully in the Maine Uniform Power of Attorney Act, Maine Revised Statutes, Title 18?C, Article 5, Part 9. You have the right to revoke this power of attorney at any time as long as you are not incapacitated. If there is anything about this power of attorney that you do not understand, you should ask an attorney to explain it to you.
Notice to the Agent: As the “Agent” you are given power under this power of attorney to make decisions about the property belonging to the Principal and to dispose of the Principal’s property on the Principal’s behalf in accordance with the terms of this power of attorney. This power of attorney is valid only if the Principal is of sound mind when the Principal signs it. When you accept the authority granted under this power of attorney, a special legal relationship is created between you and the Principal. This relationship imposes upon you legal duties that continue until you resign or the power of attorney is terminated or revoked. The duties are more fully explained in the Maine Uniform Power of Attorney Act, Maine Revised Statutes, Title 18?C, Article 5, Part 9 and Title 18?B, sections 802 to 807 and Title 18?B, chapter 9. As the Agent, you are generally not entitled to use the Principal’s property for your own benefit or to make gifts to yourself or others unless the power of attorney gives you such authority. If you violate your duty under this power of attorney, you may be liable for damages and may be subject to criminal prosecution. You must stop acting on behalf of the Principal if you learn of any event that terminates this power of attorney or your authority under this power of attorney. Events of termination are more fully explained in the Maine Uniform Power of Attorney Act and include, but are not limited to, revocation of your authority or of the power of attorney by the Principal, the death of the Principal or the commencement of divorce proceedings between you and the Principal. If there is anything about this power of attorney or your duties under it that you do not understand, you should ask an attorney to explain it to you.”

[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. F, §1 (AFF). PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).