Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1603 – Suspension
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
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(CONTAINS TEXT WITH VARYING EFFECTIVE DATES)
1. Suspension of license or registration following conviction or adjudication. On receipt of an abstract of conviction or adjudication of a person for a violation of a motor vehicle law other than OUI, the Secretary of State may suspend the license of that person and the registration of a vehicle registered in the name of that person until that person gives proof of financial responsibility under section 1605.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
Attorney's Note
Under the Maine Revised Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class E crime | up to 6 months | up to $1,000 |
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1603
- Adjudication: means a finding by a court that a person has committed a traffic infraction and includes the acceptance by the clerk of the violations bureau or any judicial division of an answer of not contested. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
- Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
- Certificate: means the certificate of an insurance company or a surety company authorized to transact business in this State under Title 24-A that certifies that the company has issued a motor vehicle liability policy covering the vehicle involved in the accident. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Conviction: means conviction, adjudication or judgment, and includes but is not limited to a forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure a defendant's appearance in court, on a charge of violating a motor vehicle law that has not been vacated. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551
- 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.
- Judgment: means a judgment that has become final without appeal by expiration of the time within which appeal might have been perfected, or by final affirmance on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551
- 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 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. 101Operator: 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 OUI: means operating under the influence of intoxicants or with an excessive alcohol level. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551 Owner: means a person who holds:
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551Person: means every person, firm, copartnership, association or corporation, but not the State or any political subdivision of the State. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551 Public way: means a way, owned and maintained by the State, a county or a municipality, over which the general public has a right to pass. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101 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 Secretary of State: means the Secretary of State or the Secretary of State's deputy. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551 State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia or a province of the Dominion of Canada. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 1551 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 Traffic infraction: means any violation of any provision of this Title, or of any rules established under this Title, not expressly defined as a crime or as a civil violation and otherwise not punishable by incarceration. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101 Vehicle: means a device for conveyance of persons or property on a way. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A Sec. 101
2. Suspension of license or registration following OUI convictions. On receipt of an attested copy of the court record of an OUI conviction when the person has been previously convicted within a 10-year period of OUI, the Secretary of State may not reinstate the person’s license until the person gives proof of financial responsibility. The period of suspension under this subsection may not be less than the original period of suspension imposed for the conviction.
[PL 1995, c. 368, Pt. AAA, §2 (AMD).]
3. Minimum. After a conviction or adjudication of a person for a violation of a motor vehicle law and reinstatement of that person’s license and registration, the person shall maintain proof of financial responsibility for at least 3 years.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
4. Conviction or adjudication in another state. The Secretary of State shall take action as required in this section upon receiving proper evidence of a conviction or adjudication in another state.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
5. Waiver. The Secretary of State may waive the demand for proof of financial responsibility after 3 years from the date of demand for proof.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
6. General suspension. After an accident, the Secretary of State, on reasonable grounds appearing on records in the Secretary of State’s office, may suspend a person’s license or registration until that person gives proof of financial responsibility for a period as the Secretary of State may require.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
7. Unsatisfied judgment. Upon receipt of a judgment against the owner or operator of a vehicle involved in an accident reported pursuant to section 2251, subsection 2 that resulted from a cause of action that arose from that accident, the Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the license and registration of the judgment debtor. Upon receipt of a judgment against the owner or operator of a vehicle resulting from an accident not reported pursuant to section 2251, subsection 2 that occurred on a public way or in a place where public traffic may reasonably be anticipated and caused bodily injury or death or property damage of at least $1,000, the Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the license and registration of the judgment debtor.
A. A suspension remains in effect until the owner or operator has obtained a written release, a discharge in bankruptcy or a judgment of no liability, has filed an installment payment of judgment agreement pursuant to section 1604 or has fully satisfied the judgment. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. Prior to restoration, the owner or operator must provide proof of financial responsibility. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2013, c. 123, §1 (AMD).]
8. Penalty. A person commits a Class E crime if that person gives information required in a report of traffic accident or otherwise as provided in this section, knowing or having reason to believe that information is false.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
9. (TEXT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1/01/24) Return license, certificates and plates. A person whose license or registration has been suspended shall immediately return every license, registration certificate and registration plate issued to that person to the Secretary of State. A person commits a Class E crime if that person, after notice of suspension, fails or refuses to return every license, registration certificate and registration plate.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
9. (TEXT EFFECTIVE 1/01/24) Return license, certificates and plates. A person whose license or registration has been suspended shall immediately return every license, registration certificate and registration plate issued to that person to the Secretary of State. A person commits a traffic infraction if that person, after notice of suspension, fails or refuses to return every license, registration certificate and registration plate.
[PL 2023, c. 362, §1 (AMD); PL 2023, c. 362, §4 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 368, §AAA2 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 123, §1 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 362, §1 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 362, §4 (AFF).