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Christopher C. Taub, Chief Deputy Attorney General
Chris Taub graduated from Cornell University in 1989 and received his law degree, magna cum laude, from Boston University School of Law in 1995. He joined the Office of the Attorney General in 1999 as a member of the Civil Litigation Division and remained in that position until November 2019, when Attorney General Aaron Frey promoted Chris to Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Litigation Division.
During his career with the Attorney General's Office, Chris has litigated numerous cases in state and federal court in matters involving federal civil rights laws, employment discrimination, federal environmental laws, the Maine Tort Claims Act, the First Amendment, federal preemption, the Freedom of Access Act, breach of contract, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and Medicaid law. Chris successfully represented the State in a years-long arbitration with tobacco companies over Maines entitlement to funds under a landmark 1998 settlement agreement. He has argued over twenty appeals in the Maine Law Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Among his more significant appeals are:
- March v. Mills, 867 F.3d 46 (1st Cir. 2017) (rejecting First Amendment challenge to a provision of the Maine Civil Rights Act restricting noise around health care facilities)
- Franklin Memorial Hosp. v. Harvey, 575 F.3d 121 (1st Cir. 2009) (rejecting Takings Clause challenge to a Maine statute requiring hospitals to provide free care to low-income patients)
- Cherry Hill Vineyard, LLC v. Baldacci, 505 F.3d 28 (1st Cir. 2007) (rejecting Commerce Clause challenge to a Maine statute prohibiting direct shipping of wine)
- State of Maine v. U.S. Dep't of Interior, 298 F.3d 60 (1st Cir. 2002) (ordering federal government to disclose documents pursuant to Freedom of Information Act)
- Kittery Motorcycle, Inc. v. Rowe, 320 F.3d 42 (1st Cir. 2003) (rejecting Equal Protection challenge to Sunday closing law)
- Maine Pooled Disability Trust v. Hamilton, 927 F.3d 52 (1st Cir. 2019) (rejecting preemption challenge to a Medicaid regulation governing the transfer of assets into trusts)
- Animal Welfare Inst. v. Martin, 623 F.3d 19 (1st Cir. 2010) (rejecting claim under the Endangered Species Act for injunctive relief against Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)
- John F. Murphy Homes, Inc. v. State, 158 A.3d 921 (Me. 2017) (rejecting $7.5 million breach of contact claim against State)