| Subgrades | |
| Covered Speech: | A+ |
| Anti-SLAPP Protections: | A+ |
| Subscores | |
| Covered Speech: | 100 out of 100 points |
| Anti-SLAPP Protections: | 100 out of 100 points |
| Detailed Scoring on Anti-SLAPP Protections | |
| Suspension of Court Proceedings Upon an Anti-SLAPP Motion: | 20 of 20 points |
| Burden of Proof on Plaintiff to Defeat an Anti-SLAPP Motion: | 12 of 12 points |
| Right to an Immediate Appeal: | 25 of 25 points |
| Award of Costs and Attorney Fees: | 40 of 40 points |
| Expansive Statutory Interpretation Instruction to Courts: | 3 of 3 points |
State Anti-SLAPP Statute
Maine’s new anti-SLAPP statute[1] – an “Act to Strengthen Freedom of Speech Protections” – hews very closely to the Uniform Law Commission’s model Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (UPEPA). As such, it corrects the failings of Maine’s previous anti-SLAPP law by expanding the covered speech to include oral, print, and online forums. It provides an opportunity for interlocutory appeal and requires an award of attorney’s fees and reasonable costs when an anti-SLAPP motion is approved. This new law represents a dramatic improvement for Maine, which previously received a C- grade in our 2023 Anti-SLAPP Report Card.
[1] S.P. 367 – L.D. 870, available at https://perma.cc/J2F3-S3QH
