Maine Supreme Judicial Court · 1983
State v. Griffin
A stop short of arrest needs specific, articulable facts that reasonably warrant suspicion of crime, not probable cause. A driver sliding from the driver's seat into the back seat on seeing a marked cruiser justified a brief investigation, and asking him to step out and sit in the cruiser for questions stayed within the stop.
459 A.2d 1086
Find the opinion for State v. GriffinMaine Supreme Judicial Court · 1976
State v. Babcock
A car that nearly matched a fresh radio lookout for an armed robbery, seen where the getaway car would be and taking an odd detour, could be stopped on articulable facts without probable cause. Once the tall, mustached driver matched the suspect description, the officer had probable cause to arrest.
361 A.2d 911
Find the opinion for State v. BabcockMaine Supreme Judicial Court · 1997
State v. Taylor
HGN results are admissible in Maine once the State shows the officer was trained in HGN and gave the test properly. They may support probable cause or serve as circumstantial evidence of intoxication, but an officer may not use HGN to put a number on blood-alcohol level. That takes a chemical test.
694 A.2d 907
Find the opinion for State v. TaylorEach summary was checked against the court’s majority opinion on September 30, 2026. Read the decision and follow your agency’s policy; this is reference guidance, not legal advice.