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Rent Regulations

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4614

Attorney's fees and costs

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026MaineLease Requirements

Operative Text

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4614
In any civil action under this Act, the court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs, except that the commission may not be awarded attorney's fees and costs and is not liable to pay any party's attorney's fees and costs.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under Maine's Human Rights Act, 5 M.R.S. § 4614, a court handling a civil housing-discrimination case has the discretion to award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to whichever party prevails. This fee-shifting provision applies to private parties in the litigation, but explicitly excludes the Maine Human Rights Commission — the Commission can neither receive nor be ordered to pay attorney's fees or costs. The availability of fees is not automatic; it is left to the judge's judgment based on the circumstances of each case.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers defending against civil housing-discrimination claims under 5 M.R.S. § 4614 should be aware that a prevailing party — including a prevailing plaintiff — may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs by the court. Compliant operators generally maintain thorough documentation of their housing policies and decisions, which can be important in any civil action where fee exposure is a real consideration. Because fee awards are discretionary, the facts and conduct of the parties throughout the litigation can influence whether and how fees are assessed.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under 5 M.R.S. § 4614, tenants who bring a successful civil action for housing discrimination may be eligible to have the court award them reasonable attorney's fees and costs, which can make pursuing a claim more financially accessible. This provision applies to private civil actions, so tenants exploring their options may want to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand how fee-shifting could factor into a potential case. Because the award is discretionary, outcomes can vary, and understanding the full scope of Maine's Human Rights Act is an important part of evaluating any housing-discrimination concern.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Expression #1
Oct 21, 2026
Current
Oct 21, 2026
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References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4630
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4581-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4632
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4622
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4613
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4551
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4630
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4581-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4632
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4622
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4613
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4551

Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

Source:https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec4614.html
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