{"data":{"id":"us-me/5-m.r.s.-4622","jurisdiction":"us-me","citation":"5 M.R.S. §4622","heading":"Limitations on attorneys' fees and damages; procedures","body":"1.  Limitation.  Attorney's fees under section 4614 and civil penal damages or compensatory and punitive damages under section 4613 may not be awarded to a plaintiff in a civil action under this Act unless the plaintiff alleges and establishes that, prior to the filing of the civil action, the plaintiff first filed a complaint with the commission and the commission either:\nA.  Dismissed the case under section 4612, subsection 2 or subsection 2‑A, paragraphs A and B and D to F;\nB.  Failed, within 90 days after finding reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination occurred, to enter into a conciliation agreement to which the plaintiff was a party;\nC.  Issued a right-to-sue letter under section 4612, subsection 6; or\nD.  Dismissed the case in error.\nIf the commission issued a right-to-sue letter, the plaintiff may not be awarded attorney's fees, civil penal damages or compensatory and punitive damages unless the plaintiff establishes that the plaintiff received the right-to-sue letter before filing the civil action.\nThis subsection does not apply to or limit any remedies for civil actions filed under subchapter 5 if one or more additional causes of action are alleged in the same civil action that do not require exhaustion of administrative remedies or subchapter 4 if the allegations are covered by the federal Fair Housing Act, 42 United States Code, Chapter 45.\n2.  Advancement on docket; priority.  If the plaintiff alleges and establishes that the conditions of subsection 1 have been met, the action may also be advanced on the docket and given priority over other civil actions.","path":["TITLE 5: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND SERVICES","PART 12: HUMAN RIGHTS","CHAPTER 337: HUMAN RIGHTS ACT","SUBCHAPTER 7: CIVIL ACTIONS BY AGGRIEVED PERSONS"],"source_url":"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec4622.html","current_through":"October 1, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-04T15:12:22Z","sha256":"3ad678916ce626f6f0e5bd3f9a63da4977eb383c4c8be4a39413a10778b1028a","source_id":"us-me","stale":false,"prev":"us-me/5-m.r.s.-4621","next":"us-me/5-m.r.s.-4623"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}