. . . .
The RRMHS regulations are a set of rules promulgated by BDS pursuant to its authority set forth in 34-B M.R.S.A. § 3003 (1988 & Pamph. 2003).
. . . .
As a condition of DHS licensure, hospitals like TAMC are required to comply with the RRMHS regulations. See 13 C.M.R. 10 144 112-69 § XXIII(F) (2003). DHS rules also provide that, under agreement with DHS, BDS shall conduct surveys and inspections for compliance with the RRMHS regulations, id., but vest BDS with no other specific enforcement authority over individual grievances, see id. The RRMHS regulations purport to apply to, among other agencies, "all public or private inpatient psychiatric institutes and units." 13 C.M.R. 14 193 001-4, Introduction (1995).
. . . .
We review an agency decision, appealed from the Superior Court acting as an appellate court, "directly for abuse of discretion, errors of law, or findings not supported by the evidence." Centamore v. Dep't of Human Servs., 664 A.2d 369, 370 (Me. 1995). Here, where the question is one of statutory interpretation we review for errors of law. See Daniels v. Tew Mac Aero Servs., Inc., 675 A.2d 984, 987 (Me. 1996). Unless the meaning of a statute is clear or within our own expertise, we will defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute it administers when the agency's interpretation is both reasonable and within the agency's own expertise. See Guilford Transp. Indus. v. PUC, 2000 ME 31, ¶¶ 6-11, 746 A.2d 910, 912-13; Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 843-44, 81 L. Ed. 2d 694, 104 S. Ct. 2778 (1984). Therefore, when the statute is unclear and it is within the agency's expertise, we "'limit our review to determining whether the agency's conclusions are unreasonable, unjust or unlawful in light of the record.'" Guilford Transp. Indus., 2000 ME 31, ¶¶ 6, 11, 746 A.2d at 912 (quoting Pine Tree Tel. & Tel. Co. v. PUC, 634 A.2d 1302, 1304 (Me. 1993)).
. . . .
The order of this Court, dated January 27, 1966, as amended by the order of December 1, 1982, is further amended to read as follows:
1. The Atlantic Reporter is the official publication of the Court's opinions commencing January 1, 1966.
2. Opinions issued on or after January 1, 1966, and before January 1, 1997, shall be cited in the following style:
Westman v. Armitage, 215 A.2d 919 (Me. 1966)
3. Opinions issued on or after January 1, 1997, shall include the calendar year, the sequential number assigned to the opinion within that calendar year, and shall be cited in the following style:
Smith v. Jones, 1997 ME 7, 685 A.2d 110
4. The sequential decision number shall be included in each opinion at the time it is made available to the public and the paragraphs in the opinion shall be numbered. The official publication of each opinion issued on or after January 1, 1997 shall include the sequential number in the caption of the opinion and the paragraph numbers assigned by the Court.
5. Pinpoint citations shall be made by reference to paragraph numbers assigned by the Court in the following style:
Smith v. Jones, 1997 ME 7, para 14, 685 A.2d 110
6. Memorandum Decisions and Summary Orders shall not be published in the Atlantic Reporter and shall not be cited as precedent for a matter addressed therein.
[This order and all others of its vintage were withdrawn in 2005. See Me. Admin. Order, No. JB-05-01 (Aug. 1, 2005), http://www.courts.state.me.us/court_info/opinions/adminorders/JB-05-1.html. However, it continues to govern citation practice in Maine.]
Note: See also Michael D. Seitzinger & Charles K. Leadbetter, Uniform Maine Citations (3d ed. updated 2009), http://mainelaw.maine.edu/academics/pdf/UMC3rdupdate2009.pdf, (which seeks to aid Maine practitioners in preparing legal briefs and memoranda, and Maine justices and judges in writing opinions, by providing a system of citation for the materials most frequently cited in this state).