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Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4623

Consolidation of cases

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.) § 4623
If it appears during the pendence of such private action that the commission has commenced an action against the same defendant, based on the same facts, the court shall, except for good cause shown, order consolidation of the cases, on such terms as justice may require.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under Maine's Human Rights Act, 5 M.R.S. § 4623, when a private lawsuit and a Maine Human Rights Commission action are both pending against the same defendant and arise from the same underlying facts, a court is generally required to consolidate those cases into a single proceeding. The court retains discretion to decline consolidation only if good cause is shown, and it may set whatever terms fairness demands. This rule is designed to prevent duplicative litigation over the same alleged discriminatory conduct in housing matters.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners or managers facing a housing discrimination complaint under 5 M.R.S. § 4623 should be aware that a private lawsuit and a Maine Human Rights Commission action rooted in the same facts can be merged into one consolidated case by court order. Operators who receive notice of both a commission action and a private suit typically work with legal counsel to understand how consolidation may affect timelines, discovery, and potential outcomes. Keeping thorough, organized records of all communications and compliance efforts is a practice that generally supports a coherent defense across consolidated proceedings.

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

For Tenants

Under 5 M.R.S. § 4623, a tenant who has filed a private housing discrimination lawsuit may find that case consolidated with any related Maine Human Rights Commission action targeting the same respondent and facts. This consolidation can affect how and when claims are heard, making it useful to stay informed about the status of both proceedings. Tenants navigating this situation may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Maine's Human Rights Act to understand how consolidation could affect their particular claims.

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
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

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

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§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
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Policies; recommendations

Source Information

Source:https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec4623.html
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