Rick E. Lawrence at a glance
- Current role
- Associate Justice
- Jurisdiction
- Maine · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Rick E. Lawrence
Associate Justice · Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Biography
Professional career
- Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 2022-present
- American judge and the first African American justice appointed to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, serving since May 4, 2022
- Rick E. Lawrence became a Maine Supreme Judicial Court justice in 2022, succeeding Ellen Gorman, and is described as the court’s first African American justice
- As an Associate Justice, Lawrence participates in the court’s appellate work, which includes reviewing significant legal issues in Maine
Education
- cites Yale University B.A. (1977) and Harvard Law School J.D. (1986).
Additional information
- The overview reports Mills’s nomination in March 2022, Senate confirmation in April and swearing-in May 4, 2022.
- Maine District Court in Lewiston from 2000 to 2022, initially appointed by Angus King and later reappointed under Baldacci and LePage.
- He became deputy chief in April 2020.
- Rick E. Lawrence was born November 4, 1955 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
- Before entering the judiciary, he served as an attorney, vice president and managing counsel at Unum, and as an associate at Pierce Atwood
- Earlier legal work included an associate position at Pierce Atwood and vice-president/managing-counsel work at Unum.
- His tenure is part of the court’s seven-member panel, with justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate
- His appointment was unanimous in the Senate Judiciary Committee and marked a milestone in Maine’s judicial history
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Maine Administrative Order JB-05-15 bars cameras and audio recording equipment in the courtroom unless coverage has been authorized under the order.
No cameras or audio recording equipment shall be allowed in the courtroom unless coverage of any events or proceeding has been authorized pursuant to this order.JB-05-15 Cameras and Audio Recording in the Courts ↗
Judicial Discretion
Statewide
Maine authorizes trial and appellate judicial officers to consider camera and recording coverage and permit it in their sole discretion if court integrity will not be adversely affected.
authorized to consider camera and recording coverage, and to permit it in their sole discretion if the integrity of the court proceedings will not be adversely affected.JB-05-15 Cameras and Audio Recording in the Courts ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
JB-05-15 Cameras and Audio Recording in the Courts
Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
State of Maine Judicial Branch official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 2026
View State of Maine Judicial Branch official judicial roster ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗JB-05-15 Cameras and Audio Recording in the Courts
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View JB-05-15 Cameras and Audio Recording in the Courts ↗