Skowhegan, ME Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m.
- Who is a minor
- Any person who has not attained the age of eighteen
- First offense
- Documented verbal warning
- Minor penalty
- $25.00 first, then up to $100.00, or community service
- Parent or guardian penalty
- Forfeiture not to exceed $100.00 per civil violation
- Adopted
- Annual Town Meeting, March 8, 1999
Summary
In the Town of Skowhegan, Maine, it is unlawful for any minor under eighteen to be in or on a public place between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m., including while in a motor vehicle. A first offense brings a documented verbal warning. Later violations carry a $25.00 then up to $100.00 forfeiture for the minor, and parents face up to $100.00.
“Minor” shall mean any person who has not attained the age of eighteen. ... (a) It shall be unlawful for any minor to be or knowingly remain in or upon any public place within the Town of Skowhegan between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m. ... (c) It shall be unlawful for the parent or guardian having legal custody of a minor to knowingly allow or permit the minor to be in violation of the curfew imposed in Section 4 (a) of this Ordinance. ... (a) For the first offense, subsequent to a receipt of a warning, as provided above, a civil forfeiture of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or, if the minor consents, four (4) hours of community service to be completed within thirty days (30) of adjudication; and (b) For each subsequent offense, a civil forfeiture of up to one-hundred dollars ($100.00) or, if the minor agrees, sixteen (16) hours of community service to be completed within thirty (30) days of adjudication.
Full Breakdown
The Curfew Ordinance of the Town of Skowhegan, Maine (Chapter 23) was adopted at the Annual Town Meeting on March 8, 1999. Section 3 defines a minor as any person who has not attained the age of eighteen, and a public place as any place to which the public has access, including streets, highways, public parks and the common areas of schools, hospitals, houses, office buildings, transport facilities and shops.
Section 4(a) makes it unlawful for a minor to be or knowingly remain in or upon any public place within the Town between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m. Section 4(b) applies the same hours to a minor in a motor vehicle, whether it is stopped, parked or mobile. Section 4(c) makes it unlawful for a parent or guardian having legal custody to knowingly allow or permit the violation.
Section 5 lists defenses: the minor was accompanied by a parent or guardian; was accompanied by an adult designated in advance by the parent or guardian; was on an errand made necessary by an emergency; was attending or traveling to or from a school, religious or government-sponsored activity; was engaged in or traveling to or from lawful employment; was on the sidewalk in front of the place of residence; was on an errand directed by a parent and carried a signed document expressly permitting presence in a public place between midnight and 5:00 a.m.; was traveling through the Town in a motor vehicle on an intrastate or interstate route; or was exercising rights protected by the Maine or United States Constitutions.
Section 6 sets the process. Enforcement is by civil summons delivered directly to the offender, except that a minor gets a documented verbal warning for a first offense. The officer first asks the apparent offender's age and can require a minor to remain in his or her presence for up to two (2) hours under Title 17-A M.R.S.A. Section 17. The officer directs the minor to proceed at once by the most direct route home. A minor who refuses, or is seen in violation again after a warning, is summonsed, and the parent or guardian can be summonsed too if he or she knowingly allowed the violation.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 7, a minor's first offense after a warning draws a civil forfeiture of $25.00 or, if the minor consents, four (4) hours of community service within thirty days of adjudication. Each subsequent offense draws a forfeiture of up to $100.00 or, if the minor agrees, sixteen (16) hours of community service within thirty (30) days. A parent or guardian having custody faces a forfeiture not to exceed $100.00 for each civil violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the juvenile curfew in Skowhegan?
What does a Skowhegan police officer do on a first curfew offense?
Is a teenager allowed out after midnight for work or school events?
Can parents be penalized for their child's curfew violation in Skowhegan?
How long can an officer hold a minor while checking age?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Skowhegan
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