PORTLAND, Maine — A federal appeals court is asking Maine’s supreme court to answer unresolved questions about a Maine law that restricts the personal liability of government employees in lawsuits.
The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston on Thursday asked the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to sort out ambiguities in the Maine Torts Claim Act. One part of the law says the maximum liability for a government employee is $10,000, but another provision sets a $400,000 cap on a damage award.
A federal jury in 2010 awarded Michael Fortin $125,000 for injuries he suffered during a scuffle with police in 2007. The judge reduced the award to $10,000.
Fortin’s appeal argued the $10,000 cap doesn’t apply because the officer was covered by an insurance policy that triggered the higher limit.
Maybwe towns and govts need to be more selective in who they hire for responsible positions, train them better and supervise them more closely.
Our society only works when everybody is responsible for his or her actions.
Limiting responsibility encourages gov’t laziness and employee misconduct.
Nobody who ducks responsibility deserves trust or gov’t employment.
Citizes who’re harmed are, well, citizens. And taxpayers.