What will happen to my Maine Court Date Because of COVID-19?

By now, the novel coronavirus pandemic is turning everyone’s lives upside-down. Clients have asked the question What will Happen to my Maine Court Date Because of COVID-19?

The answer to the question (What will Happen to my Maine Court Date Because of COVID 19) is more likely than not, your court date has been continued by the Court. The Maine State Courts have continued all jury trials, as well as all in person court matters, with exceptions for the following:

Arraignments & Initial Appearances
Bail Reviews
Juvenile detention hearings
Protection from Abuse PFA Hearings
Protection from Harassment PFH Hearings
Child Protective Custody Matters
Mental Health Requests
Motion Hearings on specific issues.

For specific information whether your court date is continued, contact your lawyer, or contact the Courts directly. Be patient with calling the Courts, as they will likely be answering many similar questions.

Moreover, the Maine State Courts issued an Emergency Order on March 16, 2020, Ordering that outstanding warrants for unpaid fines and Failure to Appear be vacated (cancelled). This should ease the minds of many who have outstanding warrants for previous failure to pay fines or had not appeared at Court.

While we are experiencing cancellations, we do not expect that this trend will last forever. When the Courts re-open for in-person trials and other court proceedings, it will be important to attend court. By then, if you fail to appear at Court, it will again be its own separate criminal offense.

During this pandemic, law enforcement will continue to enforce the law, including making arrests for criminal conduct. The Nielsen Group remains available to answer your questions and to help you if you are facing criminal charges in Maine.

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