1. Authority to stop motor vehicle. If a law enforcement officer has reasonable and articulable suspicion to believe that a violation of law has taken or is taking place, that officer, if the officer is in uniform, may stop a motor vehicle for the purpose of:
A. Arresting the operator for a criminal violation; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. Issuing the appropriate written process for a criminal or civil violation or a traffic infraction; or [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. Questioning the operator or occupants. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

[PL 1995, c. 368, Pt. AAA, §1 (AMD).]

Attorney's Note

Under the Maine Revised Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class E crimeup to 6 monthsup to $1,000
For details, see Me. Rev. Stat. Title 17-A § 1604

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Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 105

  • Department: means the Department of Transportation. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Law enforcement officer: means a person who by virtue of public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for crimes, whether that duty extends to all crimes or is limited to specific crimes. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • License: includes , but is not limited to, a nonresident operating privilege and the privilege of a person to apply for or obtain a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Motor carrier: means a contract carrier, a common carrier or a private carrier of property or passengers by motor vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on railroad tracks, but does not include:
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Operator: means an individual who drives or is in control of a vehicle or who is exercising control over or steering a towed vehicle. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Owner: means a person holding title to a vehicle or having exclusive right to the use of the vehicle for a period of 30 days or more. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, fiduciary, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Registration: means the registration certificate, plates and renewal devices pertaining to the registration of a vehicle, including temporary registered gross weight increases. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, bicycles and other conveyances either singly or together using public way for travel. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • United States: includes territories and the District of Columbia. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Vehicle: means a device for conveyance of persons or property on a way. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
  • 2. Scope of inspection. A law enforcement officer who has stopped a motor vehicle pursuant to subsection 1 may demand and inspect the driver’s license, certificate of registration, permits and the identification numbers of the motor vehicle. A state police officer who is trained pursuant to the motor carrier safety rules of the motor carrier safety regulations of the United States Department of Transportation may demand and inspect the driver’s record of duty status and medical examiner’s certificate, if applicable.

    [PL 2001, c. 360, §2 (AMD).]

    3. Impoundment. When a motor vehicle is operated by a person not able to produce a certificate of registration, or by a person other than the person in whose name the vehicle is registered and the operator is unable to present reasonable evidence of authority to operate that vehicle, an officer may impound and hold that vehicle until that vehicle is claimed by the registered owner or until the registered owner verifies the authority of the operator. The registered owner must be notified immediately of the impoundment.

    [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

    4. Violation. A person is guilty of a Class E crime if a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe the person violated or is violating this Title and the person intentionally fails or refuses upon request to give the person’s correct name, address or date of birth to a law enforcement officer.

    [PL 2003, c. 657, §12 (AMD).]

    SECTION HISTORY

    PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 368, §AAA1 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 437, §4 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 653, §5 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 360, §2 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 657, §12 (AMD).