Maine § 17-A §36 Ignorance or mistake

Maine Statutes

§ 17-A §36 — Ignorance or mistake

Maine § 17-A §36

Title 17-AMAINE CRIMINAL CODE

Part 1GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Ch. 2CRIMINAL LIABILITY; ELEMENTS OF CRIMES

This text of Maine § 17-A §36 (Ignorance or mistake) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 17-A §36 (2026).

Text

1.Evidence of ignorance or mistake as to a matter of fact or law may raise a reasonable doubt as to the existence of a required culpable state of mind.

2.Ignorance or mistake as to a matter of fact or law is a defense only if the law provides that the state of mind established by such ignorance or mistake constitutes a defense.

3.Although ignorance or mistake would otherwise afford a defense to the crime charged, the defense is not available if the defendant would be guilty of another crime had the situation been as the defendant supposed.

4.It is an affirmative defense if the defendant engages in conduct that the defendant believes does not legally constitute a crime if:

5.A mistaken belief that facts exist which would constitute an affirmative defense is not an affirmative defense,

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1.
Evidence of ignorance or mistake as to a matter of fact or law may raise a reasonable doubt as to the existence of a required culpable state of mind.
2.
Ignorance or mistake as to a matter of fact or law is a defense only if the law provides that the state of mind established by such ignorance or mistake constitutes a defense.
3.
Although ignorance or mistake would otherwise afford a defense to the crime charged, the defense is not available if the defendant would be guilty of another crime had the situation been as the defendant supposed.
4.
It is an affirmative defense if the defendant engages in conduct that the defendant believes does not legally constitute a crime if:
5.
A mistaken belief that facts exist which would constitute an affirmative defense is not an affirmative defense, except as otherwise expressly provided.