Motion to Reconsider Sentence - Maine
MOTION TO RECONSIDER SENTENCE
STATE OF MAINE — UNIFIED CRIMINAL DOCKET
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| State of Maine | Prosecutor |
| v. | |
| [DEFENDANT NAME] | Defendant |
Court location: [COUNTY / LOCATION]
Docket number: [DOCKET NUMBER]
Defendant [DEFENDANT NAME] moves the justice or judge who imposed the sentence to correct or reduce it under the selected part of Maine Rule of Unified Criminal Procedure 35.
Sentence and requested relief
- Defendant was sentenced on [__/__/____] for [OFFENSE AND COUNT]. The sentence imposed was [EXACT SENTENCE AND CONDITIONS].
- Execution of the sentence [has not begun / began on [__/__/____] and has not been completed].
- Defendant asks the Court to [STATE EXACT CORRECTION OR REDUCTION REQUESTED].
Ground and timing
☐ Rule 35(a), correction. This motion is made within one year after sentence was imposed. The sentence is illegal or was imposed in an illegal manner because [IDENTIFY THE LEGAL DEFECT AND SUPPORTING AUTHORITY]. The requested correction is [CORRECTION].
☐ Rule 35(b), reduction before execution. Execution has not commenced. Defendant requests reduction to [PROPOSED SENTENCE] because [FACTS AND REASONS SUPPORTING THE REQUEST].
☐ Rule 35(c), reduction after execution began. This motion is made within one year after sentence was imposed, and execution has not been completed. At sentencing, the Court relied on the following mistaken fact that already existed at that time: [IDENTIFY THE FACT AS UNDERSTOOD BY THE COURT]. The correct fact was [CORRECT FACT]. The sentencing record shows the mistake influenced the original sentence because [PINPOINT TO TRANSCRIPT / RECORD]. The supporting evidence is [IDENTIFY EXHIBIT OR RECORD]. Defendant requests reduction to [PROPOSED SENTENCE].
This motion is filed on [__/__/____]. The applicable timing and execution facts are [GIVE DATES AND RECORD SUPPORT].
Pending appeal
☐ No appeal is pending.
☐ An appeal is pending under docket number [APPEAL DOCKET]. For a Rule 35(a) or (c) motion, Rule 35(e) provides for notice to the Law Court and a trial-court hearing; the trial court may grant the motion only on remand. Defendant requests [DENIAL / CERTIFICATION THAT THE COURT WOULD GRANT RELIEF, AS SUPPORTED BY THE RECORD].
Request
Defendant requests that the Court grant the selected relief, enter the proposed order below or another appropriate order, and set a hearing if needed.
Date: [__/__/____]
Signature: ______________________________
Name and Maine Bar number, if represented: [NAME / BAR NUMBER]
Address: [ADDRESS]
Telephone and email: [CONTACT INFORMATION]
Proposed order
The Court has considered Defendant's Rule 35 motion and orders:
☐ Motion granted. The sentence is corrected or reduced as follows: [PRECISE TERMS].
☐ Motion denied.
☐ Hearing set for [DATE AND TIME].
☐ While an appeal is pending, the Court certifies to the Law Court that it would grant the Rule 35(a) or (c) motion if the case is remanded.
Date: [__/__/____]
________________________________
Justice/Judge
Certificate of service
I certify that on [__/__/____] I served a copy of this motion on [RECIPIENT AND ADDRESS] by [METHOD OF SERVICE].
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [NAME]
About this template
- Last updated
- October 14, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 17, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Maine
- Category
- Criminal Law
Legal authority
- M.R.U. Crim. P. 35(a)-(e) (correction or reduction of sentence)
Criminal law paperwork covers every stage of a criminal case, from the first appearance and bail motion through pretrial motions, plea agreements, sentencing, and appeals. Deadlines in criminal cases are short and often unforgiving, and constitutional rights can be waived just by missing a filing. Using the right motion at the right time can mean the difference between evidence getting suppressed, charges getting reduced, or a case getting dismissed entirely.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 17, 2026.
M.R.U. Crim. P. 35(a) (checked October 17, 2026): "On motion of the defendant or the attorney for the State, or on the court’s own motion, made within one year after a sentence is imposed, the justice or judge who imposed sentence may correct an illegal sentence or a sentence imposed in an illegal manner."
M.R.U. Crim. P. 35(b) (checked October 17, 2026): "The justice or judge who imposed sentence may reduce a sentence prior to the commencement of execution thereof."
M.R.U. Crim. P. 35(c)(1)-(2) (checked October 17, 2026): "The ground of the motion shall be that the original sentence was influenced by a mistake of fact that existed at the time of sentencing."
M.R.U. Crim. P. 35(e) (checked October 17, 2026): "If an appeal is pending, the clerk of the Unified Criminal Docket shall immediately send notice to the clerk of the Law Court of the filing of the motion made under subdivisions (a) or (c)"
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