AG FAULTS LIVERMORE LOGGERS OVER VIOLATIONS OF COURT ORDER

December 9, 2004

DECEMBER 9, 2004

LUCINDA WHITE, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, 207-626-8822

 

            Attorney General Steven Rowe announced today that his office has filed papers in Superior Court in Augusta alleging that Livermore area loggers Robert W. Tibbetts, Jr., Robert W. Tibbetts, Sr., and Darrell L. Tibbetts have violated the terms of a 2001 order from the same court governing their logging business practices.  The Attorney General brought the 2001 case under the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act and other consumer protection laws. 

In the new filing, the Attorney General’s Office cites numerous examples of the Tibbetts’ misleading and confusing woodlot owners as to their qualifications, the price of their services, and the value of timber on the woodlot.  The Tibbetts also failed to disclose to woodlot owners that the owners had a three-business-day rescission period, beginning at the date of contract signing, during which they could cancel the contract for logging services with the Tibbetts.  The Tibbetts also backdated a contract in order to nullify the woodlot owner’s right of rescission. 

            The Attorney General’s court filing asks the court to require the Tibbetts to pay restitution to consumers and costs to the Attorney General in addition to banning them from logging on the land of others forever. 

            The Maine Forest Service will investigate woodlot owners’ complaints against the Tibbetts.  Others who wish to file complaints should contact District Ranger Gregg Hesslein at 1-800-750-9777.

* * * * *