Budget Resource
Center

...providing state budgets, reports, and current news to help the court community make informed budgetary decisions.

Maine

Actions Underway

• Maine is primarily a state-funded court system.  Maine’s budget was reduced by $1.1 million (less than 2%) in FY09. In addition, the Maine Judiciary was not funded for the increased cost of indigent legal services in FY 09.
• In FY 10, Maine is facing a $1 million budget reduction and Judicial Branch employees will have reduced pay for increased share of health insurance premiums, deferred merit increases and elimination of longevity payments.
• Maine has imposed a hiring freeze.  Because of staff attrition, it has reduced public court hours in six of its courthouses (the District Courts in York, Springvale, Portland, Biddeford, Belfast, and Bridgton, and the
  Superior Courts for Cumberland, Waldo, and York Counties).  
• It has determined which cases are low priority and has instructed staff to reduce the schedules for them.  Maine has eliminated out of state travel from general fund sources and essentially all discretionary purchasing.
• Facility maintenance and improvements have been limited to health and safety issues only.
• Maine is expanding the consolidation of clerk’s offices and is considering centralizing bail accounts and collections.   
  

Reports and Articles

• Keith McKeen. "State Supreme Court Backs Program to Reduce Foreclosures." The Maine Public Broadcasting Network. March 17, 2009.
• Chief Justice Leigh I. Saufley. The State of the Judiciary. Maine Judicial Branch. March 17, 2009.
• Trevor Maxwell. "Budget Woes Weaken Court Security." Kennebec Journal. February 15, 2009.

Gavel to Gavel

• Database. Search the Gavel to Gavel legislation database based on state, year, legislation category, or any combination.

State Links

• Court Budget Web Sites
• Strategic Planning
• State Budgets for 2009
• State Budget Offices