Kennebec Housing Co. v. Barton

This case arises on exceptions to the acceptance of a referee’s report.

When a suitor consents to the reference of his case he waives his rights to trial according to legal forms and rules, submits it to a tribunal of his own choosing and in effect agrees to be bound by the judgment of that tribunal both as to law and facts.

While the contrary is true in some jurisdictions, in this State it is held that when a disinterested referee has heard the parties and rendered a decision according to his own judgment, “The award must stand even though it is contrary to law.” Perry v. Ames, 112 Maine, 203.…