Southern Maine Criminal Lawyer Blog

How To Know if You Have a Misdemeanor on Your Record in Maine

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Is a Misdemeanor in Maine?

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Understanding what constitutes a misdemeanor under Maine law is the first step if you wonder whether you have one. Maine does not use the terms “misdemeanor” and “felony” as formal statutory labels. Instead, the state classifies all crimes by letter grade under Maine’s crime classification system. Classes A, B, and C are felony-level offenses. Classes D and E are misdemeanor-level offenses.

Class D misdemeanors are the more serious of the two. Common examples include simple assault, theft of property valued at more than $500 but not more than $1,000, and criminal mischief. Class E misdemeanors cover less serious conduct such as disorderly conduct and possession of a schedule Y or Z drug. Possession of a schedule W or X drug is a Class D crime or higher.

A Complete List of Criminal Charges in Maine: Crimes, Classes, and Sentences

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

How Maine Classifies Criminal Charges

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Maine organizes every criminal offense except murder into a letter-class system that determines how severe the penalties can be. The classification framework is essential to understanding criminal charges in Maine. Maine groups crimes into five classes – Class A through Class E – plus civil violations that carry fines but no jail time. Class A is the most serious criminal classification. Class E is the least serious.

Unlike most states, Maine does not use the terms “felony” and “misdemeanor” in its criminal statutes. Instead, the classification system assigns each offense a letter class. In practice, Classes A, B, and C are commonly understood as felony-level offenses. These carry potential state prison sentences. Classes D and E function as misdemeanors. Penalties may include county jail time, fines, or both.

Guns for Felons: Can You Own a Firearm After a Felony in Maine?

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

Federal Law: Can a Felon Have a Gun?

The Webb Law Firm is a24-hour law firm with offices in Saco and Portland. We answer your call 24 hours a day. Free initial consultation. (207) 283-6400.

Under federal law, convicted felons cannot possess firearms or ammunition. Specifically, unlawful firearm possession makes it a federal crime for anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison to possess, ship, transport, or receive any firearm or ammunition. This prohibition applies in all 50 states, including Maine. It does not expire after 10, 20, or 30 years. Only specific legal action can restore these rights.

Can a felon have a gun? The direct answer is no – not without formal restoration of rights through a pardon or other legal process.

Maine’s Open Bottle Law: What You Need to Know in 2026

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Is the Open Bottle Law?

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The open bottle law – also called the open container law – makes it illegal to possess an open alcoholic beverage inside a vehicle’s passenger area. In Maine, the driver is the one in violation, whether the open container is held by the driver or by a passenger. The law covers any public road or highway in the state. The law aims to discourage drinking while driving. It also gives officers a clear enforcement tool during traffic stops.

What is the alcohol open container law in practical terms? It means any bottle, can, or cup with a broken seal containing alcohol cannot sit within reach of anyone in the vehicle. Maine’s governing statute is open container prohibition. This statute spells out what counts as a violation and where the container must be located.

Disorderly Conduct Is a Misdemeanor in Maine – Here’s What That Means for You

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Is Disorderly Conduct in Maine?

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Disorderly conduct in Maine is a criminal offense. The statute targets specific behaviors that disturb public peace or create dangerous conditions. A disorderly conduct charge means police believe your actions crossed a clear legal line.

The law lists several types of prohibited conduct. You can face charges for fighting, making unreasonable noise, blocking vehicle or pedestrian traffic, or creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition in a public place. Each behavior must be intentional or reckless – you either meant to cause the disturbance or acted with disregard for the risk.

What Is Considered Harassment by Law in Maine?

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Legally Counts as Harassment?

The Webb Law Firm is a24-hour law firm with offices in Saco and Portland. We answer your call 24 hours a day. Free initial consultation. (207) 283-6400.

Harassment under the law is repeated unwanted conduct directed at a specific person. The intent must be to alarm, annoy, or threaten that person. Harassment can include phone calls, text messages, physical following, or written threats. It must serve no legitimate purpose. The exact definition varies by state, but most jurisdictions treat harassment as criminal behavior when the conduct forms a pattern and causes genuine distress.

Maine defines harassment as a form of criminal conduct. Under this statute, a person commits harassment by engaging in a course of conduct with the intent to harass, torment, or threaten another person, without reasonable cause, after being notified not to engage in that conduct. The notice can come from a police officer, and it expires after one year. It can also come from a court in a protective order. Conduct that happens before the required notice is not criminal harassment under this statute. The law requires that the behavior be intentional. Accidental or incidental contact – even if unwelcome – does not meet the legal threshold.

How to Beat a Trespassing Charge in Maine: Defenses & Examples

Published on: March 30, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Is Criminal Trespass in Maine?

John Scott Webb, criminal defense attorney
For criminal trespass in Maine, the state must prove that you knowingly entered or remained on property without permission. Or, it must prove that you stayed after someone told you to leave. This charge is more common than many people realize.

Maine law recognizes two levels of criminal trespass. Simple criminal trespass is a Class E misdemeanor. It applies when someone enters or remains on property that is posted, fenced, or otherwise clearly off-limits. Criminal trespass in a dwelling is a Class D misdemeanor. It applies when the property is a dwelling – someone’s home or living space. Aggravated criminal trespass is a separate charge and a Class C felony. It applies when a person enters a dwelling without permission and, while inside, commits a crime against a person, such as assault, or a sexual assault. It also applies when a person enters a dwelling without permission and has 2 or more prior convictions within the past 10 years for burglary or criminal trespass in a dwelling.

How Much Jail Time For Habitual Offenders in Maine?

Published on: March 30, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

Jail Time for Habitual Offender Charges in Maine

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In Maine, driving after being declared a habitual offender is a crime with mandatory jail time. It is a Class D crime if you have no conviction for driving after revocation and no OUI conviction in the previous 10 years. The sentence is then at least 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. With either kind of conviction in the previous 10 years, it is a Class C felony. The sentence can then include up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine, and the minimum jail term rises to between 6 months and 2 years. What a judge actually imposes depends on your prior record, the facts of your case, and the judge. To know how much jail time you could face, you need to understand how Maine defines habitual offender status, what triggers it, and what happens if you drive while your license is revoked.

This guide breaks down Maine’s habitual offender laws, the penalties you face, and the steps you can take to protect your future.

What Does a Suspended Sentence Mean? A Clear Explanation

Published on: March 30, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Is a Suspended Sentence?

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A suspended sentence is a jail or prison term that a judge imposes but does not require the defendant to serve immediately – or at all – as long as the defendant meets certain conditions. The judge enters a conviction and sets a specific sentence length. The judge then “suspends” execution of that sentence.

Put simply, the meaning of suspended jail sentence is that the defendant avoids incarceration as long as they comply with the court’s conditions.

What Is a Deferred Disposition? Definition, Process, and What It Means for Your Case

Published on: March 30, 2026 | by Webb Law Firm

What Is a Deferred Disposition?

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A deferred disposition is a court arrangement where the judge delays entering a conviction. The defendant must complete certain conditions – such as community service or treatment programs – during a set period. If the defendant meets every requirement, the court imposes the sentence the defendant agreed to in writing when sentencing was deferred, unless the State moves to let the defendant withdraw the plea, in which case the charge is dismissed. Whether the State does that depends on the agreement, so a dismissal is not automatic. If the defendant fails, the court imposes a sentence based on the original plea.

This arrangement differs from a standard guilty plea in one key way. A guilty plea leads to an immediate conviction and sentence on the defendant’s record. A deferred disposition pauses that process. The defendant still enters a plea – in Maine, a guilty plea – but the judge holds off on the final outcome.