Bill > LD1667

This bill allows Hemphill Farms, Inc., a company located in Presque Isle, to sue the State of Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for damages it claims to have suffered due to the department's actions. This means the state is giving up its usual protection from lawsuits, known as sovereign immunity, specifically for this case. Hemphill Farms has one year from when this bill becomes law to file its lawsuit in the Aroostook County Superior Court, even if a normal time limit for suing (statute of limitations) would have already passed. The lawsuit will be handled like any other civil case between individuals, with damages, including potentially punitive damages (money awarded to punish wrongdoing), determined by state law, but the total award cannot exceed $400,000. The case can be heard by a judge or a jury, and the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure will apply. The Attorney General will represent the state, attempt to settle the case through good-faith negotiations, and the Treasurer of State will pay any settlement or court judgment.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1667&snum=132