An Act Regarding the Submission of Documents for Protection from
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1811
Sponsors: STOVER
Amends: 5 MRSA §4653, 5 MRSA §4658, 19-A MRSA §4106

Legislative Document
No. 1811
H.P. 1212
House of Representatives, April 29, 2025
An Act Regarding the Submission of Documents for Protection from 
Abuse and Protection from Harassment Cases
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 25, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Judiciary pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative STOVER of Boothbay.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §4653, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Exemption from complaint filing fee.  The court may not charge a fee for the filing 
of a complaint in which the plaintiff swears that the complaint involves an allegation of 
domestic or dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, sex trafficking or unlawful 
dissemination of certain private images.
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §4658, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6.  Filing via e-mail.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the court 
shall accept the filing by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of this section of all 
documents in protection from harassment cases under this chapter except for complaints, 
motions to modify, motions to extend and motions for contempt filed in cases that are not 
exempt from the complaint filing fee under section 4653, subsection 4.
A. The party or the party's attorney submitting a document for filing by e-mail shall 
submit the document in a file format approved by the court and to the e-mail address 
established by the judicial branch for receipt of protection from harassment filings by 
the District Court with jurisdiction over the case.  The judicial branch shall specify the 
approved file formats and applicable e-mail addresses on its publicly accessible 
website, on all relevant court forms and in all public educational materials for 
protection from harassment proceedings.
B. Each document filed by e-mail must contain an electronic signature of the attorney 
or party filing the document either through a captured image of the attorney's or party's 
signature incorporated into the document or through the name of the attorney or party 
appearing on the document's signature line preceded by "/s/".  An electronic signature 
of a party need not be notarized if the party's electronic signature appears directly below 
a declaration on the document stating the following:
"I swear under penalty of perjury that the above statements are true and correct.  I 
understand that these statements are made for use as evidence in court and that I may 
be subject to prosecution for perjury punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 
up to $5,000 if I give false information to the court."
An electronic signature that complies with the requirements of this paragraph has the 
same force and effect as if the attorney or the party had signed and filed with the court 
a paper copy of the same document.
C. The subject line of the e-mail must list the docket number of the case except that, if 
there is no docket number, the subject line must contain the names of the parties to the 
case.
D. A document filed by e-mail must be accompanied by a cover sheet containing, with 
respect to the person who electronically signed the document, that person's name, 
address, telephone number, e-mail address and, if the person is an attorney, the name 
of the attorney's law firm and the attorney's Maine Bar registration number.  If the 
person who electronically signed the document is a party who has submitted an 
affidavit or pleading under oath pursuant to Title 4, section 8-B, subsection 2, 
paragraph B, the party may write "confidential address" in the address space on the 
cover sheet. The judicial branch shall provide a copy of a sample cover sheet on its 
publicly accessible website, with all relevant court forms and in all public educational 
materials for protection from harassment proceedings.
E. The filing date for all documents submitted by e-mail as authorized in this subsection 
must be the day, beginning at 12:00 a.m. and ending at 11:59:59 p.m., of the date that 
the document was submitted, except that, if a document is submitted on a Saturday, 
Sunday or legal holiday, the filing date is the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday 
or legal holiday.
F. A party or party's attorney may not mail or deliver to the court a paper copy of any 
document filed by e-mail.
G. A party or party's attorney may not include within an e-mail submitted to the court 
any argument or dialogue between or among the parties.
Any e-mail filing that does not comply with the requirements of this subsection must be 
rejected and not docketed by the court clerk.
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §4658, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7.  Review of complaints and motions to extend filed by e-mail.  A complaint or a 
motion to extend that is filed by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of subsection 
and is submitted before 3:00 p.m. on a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a legal 
holiday must be presented to a judicial officer, as described in section 4652, for review and 
determination on the same day. A complaint or a motion to extend that is filed by e-mail in 
accordance with the requirements of subsection 6 and is submitted after 3:00 p.m. on a day 
that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday must be presented to a judicial officer, as 
described in section 4652, for review and determination on the next day that is not a 
Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday.
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §4658, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
8.  Service of documents filed by e-mail.  The court shall arrange for the service by a 
law enforcement officer of a complaint or a motion to extend that is filed by e-mail in 
accordance with the requirements of subsection 6.  With respect to any other document that 
is filed by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of subsection 6:
A. If both parties are represented by counsel, the filing attorney shall copy the opposing 
counsel on the e-mail submitted to the court under subsection 6;
B.  If the filing party is represented by counsel but the opposing party is not represented 
by counsel, the filing attorney shall send a copy of the filed document to the opposing 
party by regular mail.  If the filing party is not represented by counsel but the opposing 
party is represented by counsel, the filing party shall send a copy of the filed document 
to the opposing party's counsel by regular mail; or
C. If neither party is represented by counsel, the filing party may not copy the opposing 
party on the e-mail or send the filed document to the opposing party by regular mail.  
Instead, the court shall send a copy of the filed document to the opposing party by 
regular mail.
Sec. 5.  5 MRSA §4658, sub-§9 is enacted to read:
9.  Response to motion to continue filed by e-mail.  Notwithstanding any provision 
of law to the contrary, the opposing party shall file a response within 3 days from the date 
that a motion to continue is filed by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of 
subsection 6.
Sec. 6.  19-A MRSA §4106, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
8.  Filing via e-mail.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the court 
shall accept the filing by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of this section of all 
documents in protection from abuse cases.
A. The party or the party's attorney submitting a document for filing by e-mail shall 
submit the document in a file format approved by the court and to the e-mail address 
established by the judicial branch for receipt of protection from abuse filings by the 
District Court with jurisdiction over the case.  The judicial branch shall specify the 
approved file formats and applicable e-mail addresses on its publicly accessible 
website, on all relevant court forms and in all public educational materials for 
protection from abuse proceedings.
B. Each document filed by e-mail must contain an electronic signature of the attorney 
or party filing the document either through a captured image of the attorney's or party's 
signature incorporated into the document or through the name of the attorney or party 
appearing on the document's signature line preceded by "/s/".  An electronic signature 
of a party need not be notarized if the party's electronic signature appears directly below 
a declaration on the document stating the following:
"I swear under penalty of perjury that the above statements are true and correct.  I 
understand that these statements are made for use as evidence in court and that I may 
be subject to prosecution for perjury punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 
up to $5,000 if I give false information to the court."
An electronic signature that complies with the requirements of this paragraph has the 
same force and effect as if the attorney or the party had signed and filed with the court 
a paper copy of the same document.
C. The subject line of the e-mail must list the docket number of the case except that, if 
there is no docket number, the subject line must contain the names of the parties to the 
case.
D. A document filed by e-mail must be accompanied by a cover sheet containing, with 
respect to the person who electronically signed the document, that person's name, 
address, telephone number, e-mail address and, if the person is an attorney, the name 
of the attorney's law firm and the attorney's Maine Bar registration number.  If the 
person who electronically signed the document is a party who has submitted an 
affidavit or pleading under oath pursuant to Title 4, section 8-B, subsection 2, 
paragraph B, the party may write "confidential address" in the address space on the 
cover sheet. The judicial branch shall provide a copy of a sample cover sheet on its 
publicly accessible website, with all relevant court forms and in all public educational 
materials for protection from abuse proceedings.
E. The filing date for all documents submitted by e-mail as authorized in this subsection 
must be the day, beginning at 12:00 a.m. and ending at 11:59:59 p.m., of the date that 
the document was submitted, except that, if a document is submitted on a Saturday, 
Sunday or legal holiday, the filing date is the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday 
or legal holiday.
F. A party or party's attorney may not mail or deliver to the court a paper copy of any 
document filed by e-mail.
G. A party or party's attorney may not include within an e-mail submitted to the court 
any argument or dialogue between or among the parties.
Any e-mail filing that does not comply with the requirements of this subsection must be 
rejected and not docketed by the court clerk.
Sec. 7.  19-A MRSA §4106, sub-§9 is enacted to read:
9.  Review of complaints and motions to extend filed by e-mail.  A complaint or a 
motion to extend that is filed by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of subsection 
and is submitted before 3:00 p.m. on a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a legal 
holiday must be presented to a judicial officer, as described in section 4104, for review and 
determination on the same day. A complaint or a motion to extend that is filed by e-mail in 
accordance with the requirements of subsection 8 and is submitted after 3:00 p.m. on a day 
that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday must be presented to a judicial officer, as 
described in section 4104, for review and determination on the next day that is not a 
Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday.
Sec. 8.  19-A MRSA §4106, sub-§10 is enacted to read:
10.  Service of documents filed by e-mail.  The court shall arrange for the service by 
a law enforcement officer of a complaint or a motion to extend that is filed by e-mail in 
accordance with the requirements of subsection 8.  With respect to any other document that 
is filed by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of subsection 8:
A. If both parties are represented by counsel, the filing attorney shall copy opposing 
counsel on the e-mail submitted to the court under subsection 8;
B.  If the filing party is represented by counsel but the opposing party is not represented 
by counsel, the filing attorney shall send a copy of the filed document to the opposing 
party by regular mail.  If the filing party is not represented by counsel but the opposing 
party is represented by counsel, the filing party shall send a copy of the filed document 
to the opposing party's counsel by regular mail; or
C. If neither party is represented by counsel, the filing party may not copy the opposing 
party on the e-mail or send the filed document to the opposing party by regular mail.  
Instead, the court shall send a copy of the filed document to the opposing party by 
regular mail.
Sec. 9.  19-A MRSA §4106, sub-§11 is enacted to read:
11.  Response to motion to continue filed by e-mail.  Notwithstanding any provision 
of law to the contrary, the opposing party must file a response within 3 days from the date 
that a motion to continue is filed by e-mail in accordance with the requirements of 
subsection 8.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes and establishes the procedures for the filing by e-mail of all 
documents submitted in protection from abuse proceedings.  It also authorizes and 
establishes the procedures for the filing by e-mail of all documents in protection from 
harassment proceedings other than complaints, motions to extend, motions to modify and 
motions for contempt in cases that do not involve allegations of domestic violence, sexual 
assault, stalking, sex trafficking or unauthorized dissemination of certain private images.