Introduction to Basic Legal Citation - access-to-law home

Centamore v. Dep't of Human Servs., 664 A.2d 369, 370 (Me. 1995). Here, where the
question is one of statutory interpretation we review for errors of law. See Daniels v. Tew Mac
Aero Servs., Inc., 675 A.2d 984, 987 (Me. 1996). Unless the meaning of a statute is clear or
within our own expertise, we will defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute it administers
when the agency's interpretation is both reasonable and within the agency's own expertise. See
Guilford Transp. Indus. v. PUC, 2000 ME 31, 6-11, 746 A.2d 910, 912-13; Chevron U.S.A.
Inc. v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 843-44, 81 L. Ed. 2d 694, 104 S. Ct.
2778 (1984). Therefore, when the statute is unclear and it is within the agency's expertise, we
"'limit our review to determining whether the agency's conclusions are unreasonable, unjust or
unlawful in light of the record.'" Guilford Transp. Indus., 2000 ME 31, 6, 11, 746 A.2d at
912 (quoting Pine Tree Tel. & Tel. Co. v. PUC, 634 A.2d 1302, 1304 (Me. 1993)).
. . . .
Me. Admin. Order, No. SJC-216 (Aug. 20, 1996).
The order of this Court, dated January 27, 1966, as amended by the order of December 1,
1982, is further amended to read as follows:
1. The Atlantic Reporter is the official publication of the Court's opinions commencing
January 1, 1966.
2. Opinions issued on or after January 1, 1966, and before January 1, 1997, shall be cited in
the following style:
Westman v. Armitage, 215 A.2d 919 (Me. 1966)
3. Opinions issued on or after January 1, 1997, shall include the calendar year, the sequential
number assigned to the opinion within that calendar year, and shall be cited in the following
style:
Smith v. Jones, 1997 ME 7, 685 A.2d 110
4. The sequential decision number shall be included in each opinion at the time it is made
available to the public and the paragraphs in the opinion shall be numbered. The official
publication of each opinion issued on or after January 1, 1997 shall include the sequential
number in the caption of the opinion and the paragraph numbers assigned by the Court.
5. Pinpoint citations shall be made by reference to paragraph numbers assigned by the Court
in the following style:
Smith v. Jones, 1997 ME 7, para 14, 685 A.2d 110
6. Memorandum Decisions and Summary Orders shall not be published in the Atlantic
Reporter and shall not be cited as precedent for a matter addressed therein.
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