Opinion ID: 2155437
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Acceptance of Reported Question

Text: [¶ 6] We must determine preliminarily whether to answer the reported questions. As an exception to the final judgment rule, the procedure permitting a trial court to report questions to the Law Court `should be used sparingly.' White v. Fleet Bank of Me., 1999 ME 148, ¶ 2, 739 A.2d 373, 374-75 (quoting Luhr v. Bickford, 661 A.2d 1141, 1142 (Me.1995)). The rule requires that the question be of sufficient importance or doubt, and that the answer in at least one alternative finally dispose of the action. M.R.App. P. 24(a). In addition to these factors, we also look to whether the question might never have to be decided because of other possible dispositions. Morris v. Sloan, 1997 ME 179, ¶ 7, 698 A.2d 1038, 1041. We consider whether our acceptance of the report will encourage piecemeal litigation. Id. When the answer to a reported question is readily apparent from the record, we discharge the report as improvidently granted by the trial court. Bergey v. Degreenia, 675 A.2d 112, 113 (Me.1996). [¶ 7] The first question, concerning the requirement of notice, is of sufficient importance to merit answering it on report. Maine has neither statutes nor case law regarding anonymous sperm donors. The answer is in doubt because there are potential alternatives such as waiver of notice and service by publication. Furthermore, the Probate Court, in its order, states that the question is raised with increasing frequency. It is a threshold issue that must be resolved before the guardianship petition can go forward. Although the only answer that would end the case finally is the unlikely answer that personal service is required, this possible answer is sufficient to meet our requirement that the answer would in one alternative finally dispose of the case. We do not foresee that our answering this question on report will encourage piecemeal litigation. For these reasons, we accept the report on the first question and answer it.