Lemon Law Attorneys in Portland, ME

Bought a new car from a Portland dealer that keeps stalling no matter how many repair visits it gets? A Maine-licensed lemon law attorney will review your repair history for free and explain your rights.

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How we match your Portland lemon law case

When you submit a Portland lemon law matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A lemon law matter needs someone who handles lemon law work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Maine law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Maine who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

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DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Lemon Law cases in Portland

More about legal help in Portland →

Portland drivers put vehicles through salted winter roads, I-295 and turnpike commuting, and long trips north, so a defect that dealers cannot fix shows up fast. Maine's lemon law provides a refund or replacement path for new vehicles with a substantial defect the manufacturer has failed to repair after a reasonable number of attempts, and the state runs an arbitration program for these disputes. Claims that instead go to court are filed in Cumberland County Superior Court or District Court depending on the amount. Repair orders are the whole case. DearLegal matches you with a Maine-licensed attorney who handles lemon law cases in Portland, with a free review.

Maine offers a state-run lemon law arbitration program, and court claims by Portland residents are filed in Cumberland County District Court or Superior Court depending on the amount sought.
Winter salt, potholes, and cold starts make it easy for a dealer to blame conditions rather than a defect, so dated repair orders matter.
A vehicle bought in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is usually still covered if you are a Maine resident registering it here, but the analysis differs, and an attorney should confirm which state's statute applies.

Maine lemon law rules at a glance

Portland cases run under Maine law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the Maine page.

Read the full Maine lemon law guide →

State Lemon Law Citation: Lemon Law
Maine Lemon Law, 10 M.R.S. § 1161 to § 1169
Coverage Period / Mileage: 3 years
3 years from delivery or the express warranty term, whichever is longer; 18,000 miles
Presumption Trigger: 3 repairs
3 or more repair attempts for the same defect, or 15 cumulative business days out of service
Federal Backup: Magnuson-Moss
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.
Statute of Limitations: 4 years
Within the warranty period plus a reasonable time; 4 years for UCC breach of warranty under 11 M.R.S. § 2-725
Typical attorney fee: Fee-shifting
Fee-shifting — if you win, the other side pays your attorney’s fees

Exhibit D

How much do Portland lemon law attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Maine · Lemon Law

Fee modelManufacturer Pays Fees

Attorney feepaid by the other side if you win

Your recoverykept in full

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

In Maine lemon law cases the law can shift your attorney’s fees to the other side — you keep your recovery.

Maine’s Lemon Law (10 M.R.S. § 1169) and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2310(d)(2)) are fee-shifting — the manufacturer pays the prevailing consumer’s reasonable attorney fees on top of the recovery. Most Maine lemon law attorneys take cases with no fee deducted from the consumer’s refund or replacement.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

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Exhibit F

Portland lemon law questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Maine attorney will review it for free.

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Generally a new vehicle still under its warranty period with a substantial defect that impairs use, safety, or value and that the manufacturer or dealer has not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts, or that has been out of service for an extended stretch. Used vehicles are usually handled under warranty or consumer protection claims instead.

Maine's arbitration program is often the fastest route and manufacturers participate, but it is not always the only option, and some cases fit better as a warranty or consumer protection suit. An attorney can compare the arbitration path to Cumberland County court based on your vehicle, your paperwork, and what you want out of it.

Maine sets deadlines that vary, tied both to the vehicle's age and mileage and to general filing limits, and the arbitration program has its own eligibility window. Because those windows can close quickly, have a Maine attorney confirm your exact deadline as soon as the repairs start repeating.

Under 10 M.R.S. § 1163, a vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within 3 years or 18,000 miles, the manufacturer cannot repair a substantial defect after 3 attempts, or the vehicle has been out of service for 15 cumulative business days.

Maine’s Lemon Law applies only to new vehicles. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and Maine’s UCC implied warranty of merchantability protect used buyers with a written warranty.