Maine legal term
Economic abuse in Maine Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Maine legislative session
In Maine criminal law, “Economic abuse” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Maine criminal code.
What does “Economic abuse” mean in Maine criminal law?
"Economic abuse" means causing or attempting to cause an individual to be financially dependent by maintaining control over the individual's financial resources, including, but not limited to, unauthorized or coerced use of credit or property, withholding access to money or credit cards, forbidding attendance at school or employment, stealing from or defrauding an individual of money or assets, exploiting the individual's resources for personal gain of the defendant or withholding physical resources such as food, clothing, necessary medications or shelter. 6. (19-A M.R.S. § 4102)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.