Maine criminal charge
Crimes and civil violations outside the code in Maine
Crimes and civil violations outside the code is a criminal offense under Maine law, defined by 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A. Its classification is not fixed: Maine assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A.
What is the penalty for crimes and civil violations outside the code in Maine?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 6 months (Expressly designated class E crime — A statute outside the code expressly designates the offense as a Class E crime.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(E)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Expressly designated class E crime — A statute outside the code expressly designates the offense as a Class E crime.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(5)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 30 years (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 10 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 10 years.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(A)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (e.g. use of a firearm against an individual, §1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $50,000 (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 10 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 10 years.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(1)); organizations up to $100,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 5 but not 10 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 5 years but does not exceed 10 years.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(B)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 5 but not 10 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 5 years but does not exceed 10 years.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(2)); organizations up to $40,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 3 but not 5 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 3 years but does not exceed 5 years.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 3 but not 5 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 3 years but does not exceed 5 years.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 1 but not 3 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds one year but does not exceed 3 years.; the statutory maximum is 'less than one year' (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(D)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $2,000 (Maximum imprisonment exceeds 1 but not 3 years — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds one year but does not exceed 3 years.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(4)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 6 months (Maximum imprisonment does not exceed 1 year — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute does not exceed one year.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(E)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Maximum imprisonment does not exceed 1 year — The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute does not exceed one year.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(5)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
Applies to current (PL 2019, c. 113 recodification).
How is crimes and civil violations outside the code classified in Maine?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressly designated class E crime | Class E Crime | A statute outside the code expressly designates the offense as a Class E crime. | 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(2-A) |
| Maximum imprisonment exceeds 10 years | Class A Crime | The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 10 years. | 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(A) |
| Maximum imprisonment exceeds 5 but not 10 years | Class B Crime | The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 5 years but does not exceed 10 years. | 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(B) |
| Maximum imprisonment exceeds 3 but not 5 years | Class C Crime | The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds 3 years but does not exceed 5 years. | 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(C) |
| Maximum imprisonment exceeds 1 but not 3 years | Class D Crime | The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute exceeds one year but does not exceed 3 years. | 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(D) |
| Maximum imprisonment does not exceed 1 year | Class E Crime | The maximum period of imprisonment authorized by the outside statute does not exceed one year. | 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(E) |
Common questions about crimes and civil violations outside the code in Maine
What class of crime is crimes and civil violations outside the code in Maine?
It depends on the circumstances: crimes and civil violations outside the code ranges from a Class E Crime to a Class A Crime in Maine under 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A.
Expressly designated class E crime: Class E Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(2-A)) · Maximum imprisonment exceeds 10 years: Class A Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(A)) · Maximum imprisonment exceeds 5 but not 10 years: Class B Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(B)) · Maximum imprisonment exceeds 3 but not 5 years: Class C Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(C)) · Maximum imprisonment exceeds 1 but not 3 years: Class D Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(D)) · Maximum imprisonment does not exceed 1 year: Class E Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 4-A(3)(E))
What are the penalties for crimes and civil violations outside the code in Maine?
Penalties for crimes and civil violations outside the code in Maine depend on how it is classified — from a Class E Crime up to a Class A Crime — with the ranges set by 17-A M.R.S. § 1604; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Maine statute covers crimes and civil violations outside the code?
Crimes and civil violations outside the code is governed by 17-A M.R.S. § 4-A (Crimes and civil violations outside the code).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.