# Me. R. Evid. 201: Rule 201. JUDICIAL NOTICE OF ADJUDICATIVE FACTS

> Maine · Court rules · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R201

## Section

- **Citation:** Me. R. Evid. 201
- **Heading:** Rule 201. JUDICIAL NOTICE OF ADJUDICATIVE FACTS
- **Jurisdiction:** Maine
- **Kind:** Court rules
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Maine Rules of Court / Maine Rules of Evidence / Me. R. Evid. 201

## Text

(a)
Scope. This rule governs judicial notice of an adjudicative fact only, not
a legislative fact.

(b)
Kinds of facts that may be judicially noticed. The court may
judicially notice a fact that is not subject to reasonable dispute because
it:

(1)
Is generally known within the trial court’s territorial jurisdiction;
or

(2)
Can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose
accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.

(c)
Taking notice. The court:

(1)
May take judicial notice on its own; or

(2)
Must take judicial notice if a party requests it and the court is
supplied with the necessary information.

(d)
Timing. The court may take judicial notice at any stage of the
proceeding.

(e)
Opportunity to be heard. On timely request, a party is entitled to be
heard on the propriety of taking judicial notice and the nature of the fact
to be noticed. If the court takes judicial notice before notifying a party,
the party, on request, is still entitled to be heard.

(f)
Instructing the jury. The court must instruct the jury to accept the
noticed fact as conclusive.

Maine Restyling Note [November 2014]

Maine Rule 201 is similar, but not identical to Federal Rule 201. In
Maine there is no distinction between civil and criminal cases in the effect of
judicial notice. In both cases the court instructs the jury that the fact noticed
should be accepted as conclusive. This policy choice has been carried over
into the restyled Rule. See also 16 M.R.S. §§ 401-406 (addressing judicial
notice of laws of other jurisdictions).

Federal Advisory Committee Note

The language of Rule 201 has been amended as part of the restyling of
the Evidence Rules to make them more easily understood and to make style
and terminology consistent throughout the rules. These changes are intended
to be stylistic only. There is no intent to change any result in any ruling on
evidence admissibility.
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## Nearby sections

- [Me. R. Evid. 101 Rule 101. APPLICABILITY; DEFINITIONS; TITLE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R101.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 102 Rule 102. PURPOSE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R102.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 103 Rule 103. RULINGS ON EVIDENCE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R103.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 104 Rule 104. PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R104.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 105 Rule 105. LIMITING EVIDENCE THAT IS NOT ADMISSIBLE AGAINST](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R105.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 106 Rule 106. REMAINDER OF OR RELATED WRITINGS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R106.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 201 Rule 201. JUDICIAL NOTICE OF ADJUDICATIVE FACTS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R201.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 301 Rule 301. PRESUMPTIONS IN CIVIL CASES GENERALLY](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R301.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 302 Rule 302. PRESUMPTION OF LEGITIMACY](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R302.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 303 Rule 303. PRESUMPTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R303.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 401 Rule 401. TEST FOR RELEVANT EVIDENCE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R401.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 402 Rule 402. GENERAL ADMISSIBILITY OF RELEVANT EVIDENCE](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R402.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 403 Rule 403. EXCLUDING RELEVANT EVIDENCE FOR PREJUDICE,](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R403.md)
- [Me. R. Evid. 404 Rule 404. CHARACTER EVIDENCE; CRIMES OR OTHER ACTS](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R404.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_ME_EVID_R201. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.