About
John C. Sheldon | Jsheldon37@gmail.com | (207) 591-5365 | Maine
THE HON. JOHN C. SHELDON
has more than 40 years of experience in civil and criminal litigation and legal scholarship. As a judge he handled an enormous variety of cases, both civil and criminal. As a practitioner he focused on family law, real estate law, torts, and criminal defense. As a legal scholar he has published articles on such diverse topics as jurisprudence, evidence, torts, family law, and criminal law, in national and Maine state legal journals. Most recently he contributed to the anthology The Anatomy of Innocence: Testimonies of the Wrongfully Accused, a chapter about the prison experience of a person who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of an infant. A former ski instructor, he’s a bicyclist and has published short stories written with his wife, novelist Gayle Lynds.
FEES.
Mr. Sheldon charges a flat rate of $190 an hour. If he must travel to a site more than 10 miles from his office in Westbrook, Maine, he also charges $50 an hour for the travel time plus $0.40 a mile.
EDUCATION
Harvard Law School, Visiting Scholar, 2000, 2002–2003
U.S. constitutional law, U.S. family law, German civil procedure, Chinese law, and Islamic law. Wrote articles about rules-based law, rules of evidentiary admissibility, surrogate motherhood, and the Uniform Parentage Act of 2002.
Washington & Lee School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1975
Managing Editor, Washington & Lee Law Review
Harvard University, B.A., cum laude, 1968
EXPERIENCE
State of Maine Board of Arbitration and Conciliation, Member, 2017–present
Preside over hearings to resolve labor union/management disputes
Maine Legal Research & Writing, Principal, 2008–present
Briefs, memoranda, and research for civil and criminal cases
Maine Dispute Resolution, Principal, 2004–present
Mediation, arbitration and reference of all civil disputes under Maine state law
Admissions Consultant, Harvard Law School LL.M. program, 2004–present
Evaluate and rank graduate student applications from the United Kingdom, Central and Latin America, Japan, the Asian subcontinent, and Africa
Maine District Court, Judge, 1987–2002
General jurisdiction, non-jury court, including family law, small claims, misdemeanors, juveniles, and traffic violations
Morton, Sheldon & Underkuffler, Partner, Farmington, Maine, 1982–1987
General practice with emphasis on real estate, family law, commercial litigation, and criminal defense
Franklin and Oxford Counties, Maine, Assistant District Attorney, 1978–1982
Prosecution of all criminal offenses, usually before juries, and representing the Franklin County Commissioners on civil matters
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Clerk, Hon. Ted Dalton, 1975
U.S. Army, Canal Zone, 1970-1972
Specialist 5th Class, Airborne qualified, medic, clerk, museum curator. Honorable discharge, 1972.