Covid-Induced Changes in Maine’s Legal Profession Likely a Boon to Clients and Lawyers – by Avery Day The legal profession in Maine, like so many other professions, has had to adapt to life with Covid.  One of the greatest areas of change that lawyers, clients, and the Courts have seen is the use of technology.  While much of the technology embraced over the last year by the legal community is not new, the speed at which it has been adopted by legal professionals and the Courts certainly was.  And these changes are a boon to clients as legal services become more efficient an ..read more

Ancillary Probate in Maine – by Stevens & Day The term “ancillary probate” is often uttered with dread – so much so that a good estate plan will often take avoidance of ancillary probate into account. That being said, if you find yourself in the position of needing to deal with property in the state of Maine, the ancillary probate process is relatively painless. What is ancillary probate? Ancillary probate is the process used to distribute property when someone dies owning property, typically real estate, in a state in which they are not a resident. This is a relatively common situation i ..read more

Texts, Social Media, and More: Using Electronic Evidence in Court – by Stevens & Day In today’s world, much of the information we process comes to us electronically. We receive and transmit emails and text messages. We take pictures and videos with our smartphones. We post text and photos to our social media sites. In the legal world, this information/data is often referred to as “electronically stored information” or ESI for short, and it can play a major role in legal proceedings. As technology continues to expand and grow, the use of ESI as evidence becomes more and more common in and ..read more

Do I Inherit Anything When a Loved One Dies Owing a lot of Bills? – by Stevens & Day   It is not unusual that an estate is opened and a number of creditors come forward with claims against the estate for money that they are owed. However, even if these claims exceed the value of the estate, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everything must be turned over to creditors. Maine’s Probate Code provides certain family members with a minimum amount of inheritance that gets paid before any creditors, and these minimum figures have just increased. Maine probate law was in for some exciteme ..read more

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The Two Types of Smoke Alarms, Explained – by Stevens & Day Did you know that there are two different types of smoke alarms? If not, you are not alone. Most people assume that they are protected if they have any standard smoke alarm (and a carbon monoxide detector), but that assumption may be wrong. Unfortunately, the smoke alarm industry has done a poor job of warning the public about the differences between the two technologies and, more importantly, the need to have both types in your home to adequately protect yourself and your family. Our office recently filed suit in a case invol ..read more

Financial Exploitation of Elders in Maine – by Stevens & Day Maine’s population is aging, and some people see that as an opportunity. If you or a loved one have been taken advantage of, there is recourse. When it comes to U.S. states with high percentages of senior citizens, Maine nears the top of the list. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that Maine will have more senior citizens than young persons by 2020 – a whole 15 years earlier than the rest of the country. With the population of senior citizens only increasing, it is imperative for Maine seniors and their loved ones to b ..read more

Driving with a Learner's Permit in Maine - The Restrictions and the Risks – by Stevens & Day Getting a learner’s permit is a pivotal moment in the lives of many young adults. It gives a new driver access to the wide-open road and establishes the beginning of what it feels like to be independent. But that’s just it – a learner’s permit provides a beginning step towards independence. In Maine, as in other states, there are still quite a few restrictions permittees must follow until they receive a full-fledged driver’s license. Learner’s permit rules across the country are written with teen ..read more

The Last Will and Testament of Robert Indiana – by Stevens & Day It is not often that matter of Maine probate law ends up making national news.  One Maine estate, however, has captured the attention of many, including members of the art world.  On May 19, 2018, Robert Indiana, famous artist and resident of Vinalhaven, Maine, died at his home.  The disposition of his estate will likely play out for a while and will certainly be an intriguing story. As someone from Vinalhaven who had occasional glimpses of the artist while growing up, I have been following the story with inte ..read more

Partner Avery Day Joins Maine Tourism Association Board – by Stevens & Day Stevens & Day Partner Avery Day has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Maine Tourism Association. The Maine Tourism Association counts over 1,500 tourism-related businesses including restaurants, lodging establishments, camps and campgrounds, retail, amusements, guides and more as its members. The MTA Board of Directors has included, in recent years, people who work directly in the tourism industry such as hotel, restaurant, retail store and campground owners as well as those who work with and bene ..read more