APPROVED CHAPTER
MAY 2, 2022 689
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO
_____
H.P. 659 - L.D. 903
An Act To Enact the Uniform Foreign-country Money Judgments
Recognition Act and the Uniform Registration of Canadian Money
Judgments Act
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 14 MRSA c. 753, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 2. 14 MRSA c. 759 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 759
UNIFORM FOREIGN-COUNTRY MONEY JUDGMENTS RECOGNITION ACT
§8801. Short title
This chapter may be known and cited as "the Uniform Foreign-country Money
Judgments Recognition Act."
§8802. Definitions
As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have
the following meanings.
1. Foreign country. "Foreign country" means a governmental unit other than:
A. The United States;
B. A state, district, commonwealth, territory or insular possession of the United States;
or
C. Any other government with regard to which the decision in this State as to whether
to recognize a judgment of that government’s courts is initially subject to determination
under the full faith and credit clause of the United States Constitution, Article IV,
Section 1.
2. Foreign-country judgment. "Foreign-country judgment" means any judgment of
a court of a foreign country.
Page 1 - 130LR1343(03)
§8803. Applicability
1. Sum of money; enforceable. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, this
Act applies to a foreign-country judgment to the extent that the judgment:
A. Grants or denies recovery of a sum of money; and
B. Is final, conclusive and enforceable under the law of the foreign country where it
was rendered.
2. Exclusions. This Act does not apply to a foreign-country judgment, even if the
judgment grants or denies recovery of a sum of money, to the extent that the judgment is:
A. A judgment for taxes;
B. A fine or other penalty; or
C. A judgment for divorce, support or maintenance or other judgment rendered in
connection with domestic relations.
3. Establish applicability. A party seeking recognition of a foreign-country judgment
has the burden of establishing that this Act applies to the foreign-country judgment.
§8804. Standards for recognition of foreign-country judgment
1. Recognition if applicable. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 2 and 3, a
court of this State shall recognize a foreign-country judgment to which this Act applies.
2. Not recognized. A court of this State may not recognize a foreign-country judgment
if:
A. The judgment was rendered under a judicial system that does not provide impartial
tribunals or procedures compatible with the requirements of due process of law;
B. The foreign court did not have personal jurisdiction over the defendant; or
C. The foreign court did not have jurisdiction over the subject matter.
3. Discretion to not recognize. A court of this State need not recognize a foreign-
country judgment if:
A. The defendant in the proceeding in the foreign court did not receive notice of the
proceeding in sufficient time to enable the defendant to defend;
B. The judgment was obtained by fraud that deprived the losing party of an adequate
opportunity to present its case;
C. The judgment or the cause of action or claim for relief on which the judgment is
based is repugnant to the public policy of this State or the United States;
D. The judgment conflicts with another final and conclusive judgment;
E. The proceeding in the foreign court was contrary to an agreement between the
parties under which the dispute in question was to be determined otherwise than by
proceedings in that foreign court;
F. In the case of jurisdiction based only on personal service, the foreign court was a
seriously inconvenient forum for the trial of the action;
G. The judgment was rendered in circumstances that raise substantial doubt about the
integrity of the rendering court with respect to the judgment; or
Page 2 - 130LR1343(03)
 H. The specific proceeding in the foreign court leading to the judgment was not
compatible with the requirements of due process of law.
4. Establish nonrecognition grounds. A party resisting recognition of a foreign-
country judgment has the burden of establishing that a ground for nonrecognition stated in
subsection 2 or 3 exists.
§8805. Personal jurisdiction
1. Lack of personal jurisdiction. A foreign-country judgment may not be refused
recognition for lack of personal jurisdiction if:
A. The defendant was served personally in the foreign country;
B. The defendant voluntarily appeared in the proceeding, other than for the purpose of
protecting property seized or threatened with seizure in the proceeding or of contesting
the jurisdiction of the court over the defendant;
C. The defendant, before the commencement of the proceeding, had agreed to submit
to the jurisdiction of the foreign court with respect to the subject matter involved;
D. The defendant was domiciled in the foreign country when the proceeding was
instituted or was a corporation or other form of business organization that had its
principal place of business in, or was organized under the laws of, the foreign country;
E. The defendant had a business office in the foreign country and the proceeding in
the foreign court involved a cause of action or claim for relief arising out of business
done by the defendant through that office in the foreign country; or
F. The defendant operated a motor vehicle or airplane in the foreign country and the
proceeding involved a cause of action or claim for relief arising out of that operation.
2. Other bases of personal jurisdiction. The list of bases for personal jurisdiction in
subsection 1 is not exclusive. The courts of this State may recognize bases of jurisdiction
other than those in subsection 1 as sufficient to support a foreign-country judgment.
§8806. Procedure for recognition of foreign-country judgment
1. Original matter. If recognition of a foreign-country judgment is sought as an
original matter, the issue of recognition must be raised by commencing an action in
compliance with the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure seeking recognition of the foreign-
country judgment.
2. In pending action. If recognition of a foreign-country judgment is sought in a
pending action, the issue of recognition may be raised by counterclaim, cross-claim or
affirmative defense, filed and served in compliance with the Maine Rules of Civil
Procedure.
§8807. Effect of recognition of foreign-country judgment
If the court in a proceeding under section 8806 finds that the foreign-country judgment
is entitled to recognition under this Act, then, to the extent that the foreign-country
judgment grants or denies recovery of a sum of money, the foreign-country judgment is:
1. Conclusive. Conclusive between the parties to the same extent as the judgment of
another state entitled to full faith and credit in this State would be conclusive; and
Page 3 - 130LR1343(03)
 2. Enforceable. Enforceable in the same manner and to the same extent as a judgment
rendered in this State.
§8808. Stay of proceeding pending appeal of foreign-country judgment
If a party establishes that an appeal from a foreign-country judgment is pending or will
be taken, the court may stay any proceeding with regard to the foreign-country judgment
until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires or the appellant has had sufficient
time to prosecute the appeal and has failed to do so.
§8809. Statute of limitations
An action to recognize a foreign-country judgment must be commenced within the
earlier of the time during which the foreign-country judgment is effective in the foreign
country and 15 years from the date that the foreign-country judgment became effective in
the foreign country.
§8810. Uniformity of application and interpretation
In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to
promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.
§8811. Saving clause
This Act does not prevent the recognition under principles of comity or otherwise of a
foreign-country judgment not within the scope of this Act.
§8812. Effective date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2023.
Sec. 3. 14 MRSA c. 761 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 761
UNIFORM REGISTRATION OF CANADIAN MONEY JUDGMENTS ACT
§8901. Short title
This chapter may be known and cited as "the Uniform Registration of Canadian Money
Judgments Act."
§8902. Definitions
As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have
the following meanings.
1. Canada. "Canada" means the sovereign nation of Canada and its provinces and
territories. "Canadian" has a corresponding meaning.
2. Canadian judgment. "Canadian judgment" means a judgment of a court of
Canada, other than a judgment that recognizes the judgment of another foreign country.
§8903. Applicability
1. Enforcement of judgment. This Act applies to a Canadian judgment to the extent
the judgment is within the scope of section 8803, if recognition of the judgment is sought
to enforce the judgment.
Page 4 - 130LR1343(03)
 2. Judgment for recovery of sum and other relief. A Canadian judgment that grants
both recovery of a sum of money and other relief may be registered under this Act, but only
to the extent of the grant of recovery of a sum of money.
3. Subject matter of judgment. A Canadian judgment regarding subject matter both
within and not within the scope of this Act may be registered under this Act, but only to
the extent the judgment is with regard to subject matter within the scope of this Act.
§8904. Registration of Canadian judgment
1. Registration in office of the court clerk. A person seeking recognition of a
Canadian judgment described in section 8903 to enforce the judgment may register the
judgment in the office of the clerk of a court in which an action for recognition of the
judgment could be filed under section 8806.
2. Execution and contents of registration. A registration under subsection 1 must
be executed by the person registering the judgment or the person's attorney and include:
A. A copy of the Canadian judgment authenticated as an accurate copy by the court
that entered the judgment;
B. The name and address of the person registering the judgment;
C. If the person registering the judgment is not the person in whose favor the judgment
was rendered, a statement describing the interest the person registering the judgment
has in the judgment that entitles the person to seek its recognition and enforcement;
D. The name and last-known address of the person against whom the judgment is being
registered;
E. If the judgment is of the type described in section 8903, subsection 2 or 3, a
description of the part of the judgment being registered;
F. The amount of the judgment or part of the judgment being registered, identifying:
(1) The amount of interest accrued as of the date of registration on the judgment
or part of the judgment being registered, the rate of interest, the part of the
judgment to which interest applies and the date when interest began to accrue;
(2) Costs and expenses included in the judgment or part of the judgment being
registered, other than an amount awarded for attorney's fees; and
(3) The amount of an award of attorney's fees included in the judgment or part of
the judgment being registered;
G. The amount, as of the date of registration, of post-judgment costs, expenses and
attorney's fees claimed by the person registering the judgment or part of the judgment;
H. The amount of the judgment or part of the judgment being registered that has been
satisfied as of the date of registration;
I. A statement that:
(1) The judgment is final, conclusive and enforceable under the law of the
Canadian jurisdiction in which it was rendered;
(2) The judgment or part of the judgment being registered is within the scope of
this Act; and
Page 5 - 130LR1343(03)
 (3) If a part of the judgment is being registered, the amounts stated in the
registration under paragraphs F, G and H relate to the part;
J. If the judgment is not in English, a court-prepared copy of the judgment in the
appropriate language or, if such a copy is not available, a certified translation of the
judgment into English; and
K. The fee to register a judgment under this Act as set by court rule or order.
3. Registration on docket. On receipt of a registration that includes the documents,
information and registration fee required by subsection 2, the clerk shall accept the
registration for filing, assign a docket number and enter the Canadian judgment in the court
file.
§8905. Effect of registration
1. Effect. Subject to subsection 2, a Canadian judgment registered under section 8904
has the same effect as provided in chapter 759 for a judgment a court determines to be
entitled to recognition.
2. Enforcement limitations. A Canadian judgment registered under section 8904
may not be enforced by sale or other disposition of property, or by seizure of property or
trustee process, until 31 days after notice of registration is served under section 8906. The
court for cause may provide for a shorter or longer time. This subsection does not preclude
use of relief available under the law of this State other than this Act to prevent dissipation,
disposition or removal of property.
§8906. Notice of registration
1. Notice served on person against whom judgment registered. A person that
registers a Canadian judgment under section 8904 shall cause notice of registration to be
served, in the same manner that a summons and complaint must be served pursuant to the
Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, on the person against whom the judgment has been
registered.
2. Notice contents. Notice under this section must include:
A. The date of registration and court in which the judgment was registered;
B. The docket number assigned to the registration;
C. The name and address of:
(1) The person registering the judgment; and
(2) The person's attorney, if any;
D. A copy of the registration, including the documents required under section 8904,
subsection 2; and
E. A statement that:
(1) The person against whom the judgment has been registered may, not later than
30 days after the date of service of notice, file a motion with the court to vacate the
registration; and
(2) The court for cause may provide for a shorter or longer time.
Page 6 - 130LR1343(03)
 3. Proof of service. Proof of service of notice under this section must be filed with
the clerk of the court.
§8907. Motion to vacate registration
1. Thirty days to vacate after notice. Not later than 30 days after notice of
registration is served under section 8906, the person against whom the judgment was
registered may file a motion to vacate the registration. The court for cause may provide
for a shorter or longer time for filing the motion.
2. Contents of motion. A motion under this section may assert only:
A. A ground that could be asserted to deny recognition of the judgment under chapter
759; or
B. A failure to comply with a requirement of this Act for registration of the judgment.
3. Enforcement not stayed. A motion filed under this section does not itself stay
enforcement of the registered judgment.
4. Registration vacated; enforcement act void. If the court grants a motion under
this section, the registration is vacated, and any act under the registration to enforce the
registered judgment is void.
5. Denial of recognition of judgment. If the court grants a motion under this section
on a ground under subsection 2, paragraph A, the court also shall render a judgment
denying recognition of the Canadian judgment. A judgment rendered under this subsection
has the same effect as a judgment denying recognition to a judgment on the same ground
under chapter 759.
§8908. Stay of enforcement of judgment pending determination of motion to vacate
registration
A person that files a motion under section 8907 to vacate registration of a Canadian
judgment may request the court to stay enforcement of the judgment pending determination
of the motion. The court shall grant the stay if the person establishes a likelihood of success
on the merits with regard to a ground listed in section 8907, subsection 2 for vacating a
registration. The court may require the person to provide security in an amount determined
by the court as a condition of granting the stay.
§8909. Relationship to Uniform Foreign-country Money Judgments Recognition Act
1. Application of chapter 759 to this Act. This Act supplements the Uniform
Foreign-country Money Judgments Recognition Act and that Act, other than section 8806,
applies to a registration under this Act.
2. Options for recognition of Canadian judgment. A person may seek recognition
of a Canadian judgment described in section 8903 either:
A. By registration under this Act; or
B. Under section 8806.