CHAPTER 326

H.P. 866 - L.D. 1248

An Act Regarding the Initiation of Cases of Murder and

Class A, B and C Crimes in Superior Court by Complaint

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §165, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 731, Pt. ZZZ, §6 and affected by §42, is amended to read:

3. Crimes; one year or more imprisonment. The District Court has, concurrent with the Superior Court, original jurisdiction to receive pleas of guilty in criminal cases, other than murder, in which:

A. The maximum term of imprisonment to which the defendant may be sentenced upon conviction of that crime is one year or more;

B. The defendant has in writing waived the defendant's right to indictment by grand jury and the defendant's right to a jury trial; and

C. The defendant has indicated the defendant's intention to enter a plea of guilty to the charges pending against the defendant.

When exercising such jurisdiction, the District Court possesses all of the powers of the Superior Court. The District Court shall exercise that jurisdiction in the manner that the Supreme

Judicial Court by rule provides. Any person sentenced under this subsection is entitled to the rights provided by Title 15, chapter 306-A.