Maine Civil Court Records

The Maine legal system consists of both appellate and trial courts.

In this state, the Supreme Judicial Court is the sole appellate section of the court system. This court is the highest and is also known as the Main Law Court.

In contrast to other states, Maine has no intermediate appellate court. But the trial courts are the Superior, Probate, and District Courts.

The Superior Court hears most civil cases involving substantial quantities of money in the state. On the other hand, district and probate courts have a narrower scope of authority.

In addition to these courts, the state also has a Juvenile Court for cases involving minors and a Business and Consumer Docket (BCD) for specific business and consumer cases.

Are Maine Civil Court Records open to the public? Per the Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) of the state, these documents are public records and are therefore accessible to the general public for inspection and duplication.

Maine Bankruptcy Records contain judicial documents and court docket information maintained by the courts that handled the case.

Cases involving bankruptcy in this state fall under federal jurisdiction, and their proceedings are in federal court. To initiate court procedures for a bankruptcy case, the individual or corporation must file a claim with the state's federal court.

In this state, the most common forms of bankruptcy filed by individuals are:

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Maine permits a debtor to delay the payment deadline for debts and possibly reduce the overall amount owed.

In this state, the court does not choose a case trustee for Chapter 11. Instead, it lets the debtor become the trustee and file a plan with the court to repay the debt.

Following the repayment schedule, the debtor must make monthly installments. Sometimes, the repayment plan may include provisions for liquidating the debtor's assets after a certain period.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Most people file this type of bankruptcy to get a fresh start with their money.

In Maine, Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a type of bankruptcy that requires the debtor to sell all of their assets to pay off their debts. However, the debtor can also keep properties on the exemption list under this bankruptcy.

In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the court can choose a trustee. In this case, the trustee is responsible for organizing a conference between the debtor and creditors.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

If a debtor in Maine wants to avoid liquidation, foreclosures, and legal action to collect debts, they can file this type of bankruptcy.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy in this state enables a debtor to defer obligations and repay them over three to five years. It also lets the person who owes money keep their assets while trying to make monthly payments to pay off their debts.

For a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing in Maine, there is a $274 filing fee and a $75 administration fee. With court approval, the debtor can pay in four installments.

In addition to the bankruptcies listed above, you might also find a Chapter 12 bankruptcy when you get Maine Bankruptcy Records.

How To Find Maine Bankruptcy Records?

There are numerous ways to locate bankruptcy records in Maine if you desire to obtain them.

You can get these records in this state by going to the courthouse that handled your case. The courthouse provides public access terminals and the clerk's office for searching and viewing Maine Bankruptcy Records.

Another way to get to these records is through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. If you wish to utilize the service, you must register in advance. However, remember that you must pay a fee to get records from this system.

You can also look for these records through the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This repository contains bankruptcy records for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine.

If interested, you can purchase directly from the appropriate Federal Resource Center (FRC) or order through the court.

In addition, if you wish to conduct a free bankruptcy case search, you can utilize the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System (McVCIS). This system lets you search and get bankruptcy information from the court's database using a touch-tone phone.

On the Maine Bankruptcy Records, you can usually find the following:

• Identification documents
• Sources of income
• List of creditors, their locations, and other information
• List of debts

On the Maine Civil Court Records, you may also find a property lien, a creditor's claim on a piece of the debtor's property.

By placing this property lien on a debtor's assets, the creditor will be rewarded if the debtor cannot repay the debt.

In Maine, the most common kinds of property liens are:

Judgment Lien

When given after a lawsuit, this type of lien grants a creditor the right to prosecute a debtor for the amount still owed.

In this type of lien, the courts will establish a repayment plan if the debtor agrees. If the debtor is still unable or unwilling to repay creditors, the court will liquidate their assets to repay creditors.

By placing a judgment lien on a debtor's assets, the debtor's real estate, businesses, homes, furniture, and vehicles are at risk of being lost.

Mortgage Lien

A mortgage lien in Maine is a consensual property lien that people can agree to put on their property. It allows monthly payments for a house instead of a one-time purchase.

This property lien can help many people in Maine as long as payments are regular. However, if the debtor's settlements are not on time and their debt accumulates, the party's home will be collateral.

UCC Lien

Typically, a UCC lien in Maine involves commercial and construction financing.

Putting this lien on a business' property might restrict them from borrowing more, damage credit reports, and jeopardize assets.

If you wish to file this type of lien in Maine, you may submit a UCC-1 form to the Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions.

In Maine Property Lien Records, you can find tax liens and mechanic's liens in addition to judgment, mortgage, and UCC liens.

How To Check Maine Property Lien Records?

If you want to find out about property liens in Maine, you should call or go to the appropriate state agency. These agencies make and keep records about property liens in the state.

This state provides free access to property lien records. But if you want a copy of these records, you will always have to pay a small fee.

You can discover generic indexes on the websites of Maine Registry of Deeds offices if you want to verify liens remotely. You can look at or get copies of the official record at this office. To find the proper Registry of Deeds office, you can contact the county courthouse or do an internet search.

In the same way, you can use the Secretary of State's free online search tool to look at Maine Property Lien Records.

Maine Civil Driving Violation Records include non-criminal infractions of the state's motor vehicle laws. These violations can happen whether or not the vehicle is moving.

Here are some examples of civil driving violations in Maine:

• Driving without a license
• Speeding
• Ignoring a red light

In Maine, the distinction between these violations and others is that they are only punishable by a fine.

However, further penalties may include probation, traffic school, community service, or license suspension.

How To Look Up Maine Civil Driving Violation Records?

You can check Maine Civil Driving Violation Records on the official state website by providing a driver's license number or other identifying details like birthdate and name.

Alternatively, you may visit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) website or phone their office directly to access these records.

Upon request, you must enter the essential information into the BMV site's search forms or give it to the administrative agent for mail or telephone inquiries. Note that there is a minimal fee associated with each record request.

The BMV will then return a list of all civil traffic violation records matching the search parameters. Usually, this list will have details like the date and place of the violation and the kind of violation committed.

In Maine, legal judgment records contain information on a court's decision in a criminal or civil matter submitted to a court of law.

A judgment is a ruling or any other order from which an appeal is permissible. It's the court's explanation of each party's rights and responsibilities in litigation.

For a judgment to be valid in this state, a good judge has to make a final decision.

The Maine Rules of Civil Procedure spell out how the people involved in a case can legally get their judgments. These laws also regulate how courts make and submit these to the state's legal system.

How To Look Up Maine Legal Judgment Records?

The Maine Judicial Branch (MJB) gives people access to court records, such as judgment records, in person and online.

If you want to find online legal judgment records, use the state's eCourts public portal. You can find information on MJB's website to learn how this portal works.

But not all Maine courts let you file documents online. Thus, you can inspect these records at courthouses or the court clerk's office.

You can also obtain these records by mailing a request. Upon request, you must complete a form and submit it to the MJB Service Center in person or by mail.

The record search request form with instructions and information is available for download in this state.

Once you have Maine Legal Judgment Records, expect to see the following:

• Names of a lawsuit's plaintiff and defendant
• Case facts
• Date of judgment entry
• Summary of the pleadings
• The docket number
• The court's decisions
• The judge's name and signature
• The court's final ruling.

Small Claims Records of Maine Civil Court Records contain all recorded and compiled small claims case material.

In this state, the Small Claims Court is a branch of the District Court where the claimant can request a financial judgment of up to $6,000.

This court does not handle cases involving bankruptcy or family law. Instead, it deals with matters like:

• Property damages
• Debt retrievals
• Financial disagreements over deposits
• Refunds
• Contracts

There are legal steps to take when filing a small claims case in Maine. But filling out the Statement of Claim form is the first step. The plaintiff can briefly explain what happened when it happened, how much money is in dispute, and who is involved using this form.

After filing, all information generated, including the identities of the plaintiff and defendant, the amount in dispute, and the verdict, will be part of the Maine Small Claims Records.

How To Look Up Maine Small Claims Records?

Access to Maine Small Claims Records is available through the District Courts of Maine.

To get these records, you must send a Record Search Request Form to the MJB Service Center in person or by mail. Note that there is a $20 record lookup cost per name when you ask for these records.

Alternatively, you can utilize online eFiling to obtain these documents.

Divorce refers to the legal procedure for ending a marriage. In each state, the reasons for divorce are different. In Maine, however, you may apply for divorce because irreconcilable differences exist between you and your spouse.

If you want to file a divorce in this state, check this page for the procedural stages, court forms, and court process.

After filing, the resulting information about the divorce case will be part of the Maine Divorce Court Records. This information can be in the following forms:

Divorce Certificate

Two forms of divorce certificates in Maine are certified and non-certified documents.

A certified copy of this document is helpful for legal, financial, and identification purposes. On the other hand, a non-certified copy is only beneficial for informational purposes.

In Maine, most people ask for these divorce court records when they want to change their name or get a new marriage license. This document includes essential information concerning the divorce, including the parties' identity, location, and date.

This kind of document is available for anyone to see. However, only the sides involved can obtain an authorized or certified copy of the divorce certificate.

Divorce Decree

In Maine, the court aspects this type of divorce court record.

A divorce decree has the court's final decision and the same information on a divorce certificate.

This document also outlines the terms of the divorce settlement, such as:

• Division of property
• Child custody
• Visitation schedules
• Child support

In this state, a divorce decree is available to the parties' lawyers present throughout the process, in addition to the parties involved.

Divorce Records

A divorce record consists of all papers presented and generated throughout the case. It contains all the information found in the divorce decree and certificate.

In addition to these details, it also includes the following:

• Judgments
• Motions
• Testimonies
• Court proceedings transcripts

As Maine is a closed-records state, divorce records are confidential. In this state, only the people involved in the divorce, their immediate family, and their lawyers have access to these records.

However, divorce records become available to the public after 50 years.

How To Look Up Maine Divorce Court Records?

MJB maintained divorce court records in the state. If you want to get these records, you can request the department for a record lookup and pay the required fee. 

However, parties inquiring about their divorce records are exempt from paying the search charge.

You can also visit the court that finalized the divorce to obtain Maine Divorce Court Records.

Probate is the judicial process that occurs following a person's death. This process settles any outstanding debts or taxes of the decedent and gives any remaining assets to the rightful heirs.

Among the probate matters in the state are the following:

• Will
• Bonds
• Accounts
• Inventories

To initiate the probate procedure in Maine, you must file an Application for Probate with the Probate Court in the decedent's county of residence.

Probate Court exists in each county of the state. These courts oversee proceedings involving guardianships, name changes, wills and estates, and other family-related matters.

On the MJB website, you may find contact information for these courts.

In the same way, if you want to know more about how the state handles probate proceedings, you can look it up in the Probate Code of Maine.

When looking for Maine Civil Court Records, the first step is determining which court was in charge of the case.

Through the eCourts Public Portal, the courts in Maine offer remote access to electronic case records. To use this portal, you must enter a case number or a party name. With the advanced filtering selections, you can also narrow search queries by handling the case category, case status, and filing date.

If you want to get these records, you can also go to a court in Maine and ask for them in person. On the Find a Court page, you can see the locations of the courts in this state. Note, however, that acquiring actual civil court records from the court record keeper will incur a modest cost.