MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied (searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) All are architects of fate Working in these walls of time Some with massive deeds and Great Some with ornaments of rhyme Nothing useless is or low each thing in its place is best And what seems but idle show Strengthens and supports the rest For the structure that we raise time is with materials filled Our todays and yesterdays Are the blocks with which we build . .. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "Tile Builders" The sculpture shown here can be seen in its entirety at the West Bath District Courthouse, West Bath, Maine. Created by Jeanne Bruce of Temple, Maine, the piece presents humanity in its many faces, occupations, family structures, hopes, disappointments. Images of the piece appear throughout this report as pictorial representation~ of this report's theme, New Dimensions for Justice. So, too, we present images of the past, many from the Cleaves Law Library archives as we recognize What's Past is Prologue. NEW DIMENSIONS for JUSTICE Report of the Commission to Study the Future of Maine's Courts This project was primarily financed by the State Justice Institute, the Libra Foundation, and the National Institute for Dispute Resolution. Points of view expressed herein are those of the Commission and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the funding agencies. MMISSION TO STUDY THE FUTURE OF MAINE'S COURTS February 28, 1993 Hon. Harriet P. Henry Commlosion Cho~2-2375 Anita Alexander District Court Clerks-443-6606 Rep. Cushman D. Anthony The Honorable Gerald P. Conley, Jr., Co-Chair Judiciary Committee-775-6371 Hon. Constance D. Cote, Co-Chair Michael P. Asen Family Law Section-MSBA-775-3101 Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary Ralph W. Austin State House Moine State Bar Association-985-3352 Augusta, Maine 04333 Dana R. Baggett Slate Court Administrator--879-4710 Sally A. Bourget Dear Senator Conley and Representative Cote: Superior Court Clerks-783-6450 James C. Chute It is with great pleasure that I transmit the final report of the Commis­ Clerk, Supreme Judicial Court--822-4146 sion to Study the Future of Maine's Courts. In carrying out our Hon. Dana A. Cleaves Administrative Court--822-4291 assignment, we have faced the incompatibility and inevitable tension Hon. Bernard M. Devine between futurist planning and addressing the short-range issues District Court--822-4171 required by our legislative mandate. This dichotomy of purpose per­ Nan Heald meated all Commission activity and is reflected in the final report. Pine Tree Legal Assistonce-774-4753 Barry J. Hobbins 1988-90 Judiciary Committee--282-5985 This two year study is perhaps the most comprehensive study of the Sen. Muriel D. Holloway courts since statehood. It has been a very exciting project. In many Judiciary Committe&-882-6879 cases the process has been as important as the product. The Commis­ RogerJ. Katz Maine Trial Lawyers Association---622·3711 sion has acted as catalyst for projects that are already underway in the Derek P. Langhauser Judicial Branch and facilitated dialogue between sectors of state gov­ Office of the Governor-289-3531 ernment that heretofore have not communicated. Our recommendations Hon. Kermit V. Lipez reflect broad input from the legal community and the public. Superior Court--822-4153 Alan D. MacEwan Verrill & Dana-774-4000 Although the Commission's future focus has been tempered by our Rep. Carolyne T. Mahany legislative directive, we have continually stressed the magnitude and Taxation Committee-488-2741 inevitability of change that society and the courts will face in the next J arret T. Mills District Attorneys' Association-784-1397 millennium. Our recommendations are designed to provide the flexibil­ Hon. Richard M. Morton ity and the resources necessary to plan for and anticipate change, rather Probate Judges Assembly-778-5888 than react to new challenges on a crisis basis. Rep. Patrick E. Paradis Judiciary Committe&-823-9482 The hard work of the Commission and Task Forces members and the John H. Rich, III Perkins Thompson Hinckley &Keddy-774-2635 dedication of our very able project director have made this report possi­ ble. We are also indebted to many people within Maine and out-of-state Hon. David G. Roberts Supreme Judicial Court--822-4180 but are especially grateful to Chief Justice Vincent L. McKusick for his Hon. John C. Sheldon initial enthusiasm and encouragement and to Chief Justice Daniel District Court-743-8942 E. Wathen for his continuing support of the project. Justice Wathen's Theodore R. Tracy first-in-the-nation introduction of participatory decision-making in the Association of Registers of Probate---743.6671 management of a Judicial Branch heralds the magnitude of change that William K. Tyler Connict Solutions-772-7474 will occur in the courts in the 21st Century. Vendean V. Vafiades Chief Deputy Attorney Genera~26-8800 John B. Wootten Sincerely, Dirigo Investments-667-9963 Prof. L. Kinvin Wroth UM School ofLow-780-4566 ~~~\~~ Staff Harriet P. Henry, Chair Kathryn Monahan Ainsworth Project Director Susanna Adams Administrative Assistant 142 Federal Street, Room 317 e Portland, Maine 04101 " (207) 822-4164 TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW ......................................................................................... i SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................... .ii INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1 Paradigm Shifts for the Justice System ....................................... 2 As Maine Approaches the Next Millennium ............................ 6 A Choice of Futures ...................................................................... 15 I. PUBLIC VOICE AND CUSTOMER FOCUS ............................... 24 A. Public Input .............................................................................. 25 B. Information and Support within the Court System ........... 25 C. Facilities and Services ............................................................. 27 D. Education about the Justice System ...................................... 29 II. ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES .................................................. 32 A. Legal Services ........................................................................... 33 B. Court Appointments ............................................................... 34 C. Private Sector ............................................................................ 35 III. DISPUTE RESOLUTION ALTERNATIVES ............................. 38 A. Court-connected Dispute Resolution ................................... .40 B. Community Dispute Resolution ........................................... .48 C. Private Sector Dispute Resolution ......................................... 50 D. Public Sector Dispute Resolution .......................................... 50 E. Education about Dispute Resolution .................................... 53 IV. TRIAL AND CASE MANAGEMENT ....................................... 56 A. Rules of Procedure and Evidence ......................................... 57 B. Case Management Procedures ............................................... 57 C. Jury Management ........................................................ , ........... 59 D. Forms and Standard Procedures ........................................... 59 E. Criminal Justice Issues ............................................................ 61 V. STRUCTURE AND JURISDICTION OF THE COURT SYSTEM ................................................................... 66 A. Structure of System ................................................................. 67 B. Jurisdiction ............................................................................... 74 VI. ADMINISTRATION OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH .............. 76 A. Lines of Authority ................................................................... 77 B. Planning Capability ................................................................ 78 C. Evaluation and Measurement of Court Performance ........ 79 D. Technology ............................................................................... 80 E. Training and Education for Court Personnel ..................... 83 F. Judges ........................................................................................ 86 G. Magistrates ............................................................................... 87 VII. SEPARATE BUT EQUAL BRANCH ........................................ 88 A. Budget ....................................................................................... 89 B. Management Issues ................................................................. 90 C. Interbranch Communication VII. IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................. 94 ACTION PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION .................................. 96 APPENDIXES ..................................................................................... 111 Commission Background and Methodolgy .............................. 112 Commission Members, Task Force Members, Consultants .... 115 Key Reports Generated for the Commission ............................. 118 Highlights of Commission Activity ............................................ 120 Glossary of Terms .........................................................................