PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Eviction of Residential Tenants
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 14 MRSA §6008, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 336, §2, is further amended to read:
 
1. Right to appeal.   Either party may appeal on questions of law from a judgment to the Superior Court as in other civil actions. Either party may appeal on any issue triable by right by a jury to a trial de novo in the Superior Court as provided in this section. The time for filingdefendant must file an appeal ofwithin 7 days from the date the judgment of the District Court expires upon the issuance of the writ of possession pursuant to section 6005 oris entered. The plaintiff must file an appeal within 30 days from the time the judgment is entered, whichever occurs first.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides that the tenant in an eviction action has 7 days in which to appeal the judgment. Current law allows the tenant to file an appeal until the writ of possession is issued, which the court must issue 7 days after the judgment. This bill does not change the requirement that the tenant must move out within 48 hours after being served with the writ of possession.