Maine Association of Mediators (MAM) presents Maine’s Abandoned and Discontinued Roadways: Difficulties & Discussions which is designed for mediators, attorneys, realtors, and other professionals who want to learn more about or who encounter abandoned, discontinued, and private road issues – including easements -- in their daily work. 

During this pre-recorded session, participants were introduced to a leading expert, Roberta Manter. Attendees learned about troublesome historical statutes as well as recent case and statutory law around abandoned and discontinued roads in Maine. Common themes that cause conflict were discussed, including, but not limited to: conflict between who can use and who must maintain a roadway, the difficulty of finding records/ confirming the status of a roadway, and inconsistent or non-existent enforcement due to statutory ambiguity in this area. Helpful resources, research best practices, common pitfalls, and general tips were shared. This recorded session includes a variety of real-world scenarios and active cases. 

Presenter:

Roberta Manter – Founder of Maine ROADWays, (Residents & Owners on Abandoned & Discontinued Ways). Roberta has been studying and researching Maine court cases and statutes for over 40 years. She serves as a board member for the Maine Alliance for Road Associations (MARA)  and was appointed to the Maine Legislature’s Abandoned and Discontinued Roads Commission (ADRC) to represent residents and landowners on these roads statewide. She is a 40+ year resident on a discontinued road in Maine and works with numerous individuals and organizations to support owner and user rights. Roberta also advocates for state-wide and local legislative recognition, action, and reform on this complex issue.  Abandoned and discontinued roads create a wide variety of legal, financial, and personal ramifications for municipalities, homeowners, and the surrounding neighbors and communities.