Maine counties settle their lawsuits through a taxpayer-funded pool of funds. Settlements could range from allegations of violence in a county jail to gender discrimination against a county employee.

This request will help us learn more about how county governments operate. We are seeking documentation related to all lawsuits and legal settlements in which the risk pool was involved. These documents could shed light on several issues:

• Lawsuits against counties
• County management practices
• How counties uphold – or violate – their employees' legal rights
• Treatment of people in custody or under supervision by a county
• County responses to legal claims against them
• How counties spend taxpayer dollars

Maine counties settle lawsuits through a taxpayer-funded pool called the Maine County Commissioners Association Self-Funded Risk Pool. The risk pool effectively functions as an insurer for counties. For instance, the risk pool paid a 2021 settlement in a lawsuit against the Kennebec County Jail. The settlement stemmed from an incarcerated man's lawsuit alleging jail staff used violence and racial slurs against him.

See our request in the PDF at the bottom of this page or here.

This request is in progress and the page will be updated after we have received and analyzed all relevant documents. Last updated: May 31, 2024.