Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4621

Civil action

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026MaineFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4621
Within the time limited, an aggrieved person may file a civil action in the Superior Court against the person or persons who committed the unlawful discrimination.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Maine's Human Rights Act, at 5 M.R.S. § 4621, establishes that a person who has experienced unlawful housing discrimination has the right to bring a civil lawsuit in Superior Court against the party or parties responsible. This private right of action is subject to a filing deadline, meaning the claim must be initiated within a legally defined time window. The provision creates a judicial pathway separate from any administrative complaint process that may also be available.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under 5 M.R.S. § 4621, property owners and managers who engage in conduct deemed unlawful housing discrimination under Maine's Human Rights Act may face a civil lawsuit filed directly in Superior Court by an aggrieved party. Operators who maintain documented, consistently applied non-discriminatory policies and practices are generally better positioned to demonstrate compliance. Familiarity with the full scope of protected classes and prohibited acts under 5 M.R.S. §§ 4551 et seq. is a foundational element of lawful housing operations in Maine.

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

For Tenants

Section 4621 of Maine's Human Rights Act gives individuals who believe they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination the ability to file a civil action in Superior Court against the responsible party or parties. This right is time-limited, so understanding the applicable deadline is an important early step; tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices in Maine can help clarify those timeframes. Alongside this court-based option, aggrieved persons may also have the ability to pursue an administrative complaint, and consulting a tenant-rights organization can help identify which avenues under 5 M.R.S. §§ 4551 et seq. may be relevant to a given situation.

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

§ 5.106
§ 5.106 Equal access in accordance with the individual's gender identity in community planning and development programs.
§ 5.109
§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
§ 2
Policies; recommendations

Source Information

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Fetched:Oct 21, 2026, 07:00 AM UTC