General Information
(800) 301-3178 fax (207) 287-1580 tty (207) 287-6826

Senators
3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0003
(800) 423-6900, tty (207) 287-1583 Secretary's Office: (207) 287-1540

Representatives
2 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0002
(800) 423-2900 Clerk's Office: (207) 287-1400

General Information
(800) 301-3178 fax (207) 287-1580 tty (207) 287-6826

Senators
3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0003
(800) 423-6900, tty (207) 287-1583 Secretary's Office: (207) 287-1540

Representatives
2 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0002
(800) 423-2900 Clerk's Office: (207) 287-1400

Commission to Create a Plan to Incorporate the Probate Courts into the Judicial Branch - Background Materials

Background Materials:

Date

Author

Title

Relevant pages*

1952

Professor Edward F. Dow

County Government in Maine: Proposals for Reorganization

pp. 17-18

1967

Resolve 1967, ch. 77 (amendment to the Maine Constitution, approved by the voters on Nov. 7, 1967, contingent upon further Legislative action)

pp. 1353-54

1967

Bureau of Public Administration,
University of Maine

Report of Preliminary Analysis of the Feasibility of a Probate District Court System for Maine

All

1969

Institute of Judicial Administration

A Report To the Legislative Research Committee of Maine on the Desirability of Integrating Activities of the Probate Courts of Maine into the Superior Court

All

1975

National Center for State Courts

Administrative Unification of the Maine State Courts

All

1980

Professor Merle W. Loper, Consultant to Maine Probate Law Revision Commission

Memorandum: Probate Court Structure

All

1980

Maine Probate Law Revision Commission

Report to the Legislature and Recommendations Concerning Probate Court Structure

All

1980

Maine Supreme Judicial Court

Opinion of the Justices, 412 A.3d 958

All

1985

Committee for the Study on Court Structure in Relation to Probate and Family Law Matters

Report to the Judicial Council (also known as the “Cotter Report”)

All

1986

Commission to Study Family Matters in Court

Final Report of the Commission To Study Family Matters in Court

All

1993

Commission to Study the Future of Maine’s Courts

New Dimensions for Justice

pp. 60-61, 72, 74, 105-06

2010

Professor Peter L. Murray

Maine’s Overdue Judicial Reforms, 62 Me. L. Rev. 631

pp. 639-41

2013

Family Division Task Force

Final Report to the Justices of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court

pp. 6-8, Appx. B & C

2016

Professor Deirdre M. Smith

From Orphans to Families in Crisis: Parental Rights Matters in Maine Probate Courts, 68 Me. L. Rev. 45

All

forthcoming

2021

Justice Donald Alexander

Probate Court and Practice Reform – Considered (draft excerpt from: The Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the Maine Judiciary: Prepared in Recognition of the 200th Anniversary of the Creation of the State of Maine and the Maine Supreme Judicial Court)

All

*The page numbers referenced in the table above refer to the publication page numbers printed on the linked documents.

Revised Summary of Background Materials

Background Materials:

Date	Author	Title	Relevant pages*
1952	Professor Edward F. Dow	County Government in Maine: Proposals for Reorganization	pp. 17-18
1967		Resolve 1967, ch. 77 (amendment to the Maine Constitution, approved by the voters on Nov. 7, 1967, contingent upon further Legislative action)	pp. 1353-54
1967	Bureau of Public Administration, University of Maine	Report of Preliminary Analysis of the Feasibility of a Probate District Court System for Maine	All
1969	Institute of Judicial Administration	A Report To the Legislative Research Committee of Maine on the Desirability of Integrating Activities of the Probate Courts of Maine into the Superior Court	All
1975	National Center for State Courts	Administrative Unification of the Maine State Courts	All
1980	Professor Merle W. Loper, Consultant to Maine Probate Law Revision Commission	Memorandum: Probate Court Structure	All
1980	Maine Probate Law Revision Commission	Report to the Legislature and Recommendations Concerning Probate Court Structure	All
1980	Maine Supreme Judicial Court	Opinion of the Justices, 412 A.3d 958	All
1985	Committee for the Study on Court Structure in Relation to Probate and Family Law Matters	Report to the Judicial Council (also known as the “Cotter Report”)	All
1986	Commission to Study Family Matters in Court	Final Report of the Commission To Study Family Matters in Court	All
1993	Commission to Study the Future of Maine’s Courts	New Dimensions for Justice	pp. 60-61, 72, 74, 105-06
2010	Professor Peter L. Murray	Maine’s Overdue Judicial Reforms, 62 Me. L. Rev. 631	pp. 639-41
2013	Family Division Task Force	Final Report to the Justices of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court	pp. 6-8, Appx. B & C
2016	Professor Deirdre M. Smith	From Orphans to Families in Crisis: Parental Rights Matters in Maine Probate Courts, 68 Me. L. Rev. 45	All
forthcoming 2021	Justice Donald Alexander	Probate Court and Practice Reform – Considered (draft excerpt from: The Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the Maine Judiciary: Prepared in Recognition of the 200th Anniversary of the Creation of the State of Maine and the Maine Supreme Judicial Court)	All

*The page numbers referenced in the table above refer to the publication page numbers printed on the linked documents.

Revised Summary of Background Materials

Commission to Create a Plan to Incorporate the Probate Courts into the Judicial Branch - Background Materials

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