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Maine · How-To Guide

How do I access court records?

Maine Judicial Branch, Clerk of Courts (county-level courthouses) / Maine Supreme Judicial Court (state level)
Step by Step

How to do it

  1. Identify what type of record you need: Superior Court (major civil cases, class A felonies, jury trials), District Court (civil up to $30,000, misdemeanors, small claims up to $6,000, traffic, family matters in some districts), Probate Court (probate, wills, estates - administered by county), or Maine Supreme Judicial Court / Law Court (appeals)
  2. Search online:
  3. MAINE ECOURT PORTAL: courts.maine.gov/ecourt - Maine's online case management system; allows public access to case information for most cases in both Superior and District Courts statewide; search by name or case number; some records may be restricted
  4. INDIVIDUAL COURTHOUSE WEBSITES: courts.maine.gov for courthouse locations and contacts by county
  5. For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse where the case was filed; most allow walk-in access or written requests
  6. In-person access: visit the courthouse in the relevant county; bring photo ID and case details
Details

What you need to know

Required Docs
  • Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
  • Case number or full legal name of parties
Fee
eCourt online case search: free for basic case information; certified copies: typically $1 per page; contact specific courthouse clerk for current schedule
Processing Time
Immediate online searches for indexed records; same day or by mail for certified copies
Online Option
Yes - Maine eCourt at courts.maine.gov/ecourt (statewide case information)
Where to Go
Clerk of Courts at the county courthouse where the case was filed
County-specific variations apply

Maine has 16 county courthouses. Cumberland (Portland) and Penobscot (Bangor) counties have the largest court systems and best online access. Smaller counties (Piscataquis, Washington, Aroostook) may have limited staff and hours. Probate Court is separately administered by each county (not the unified judicial branch) - contact the County Probate Judge's office for estate/will records.

Maine Notes

Important state-specific details

  • Maine eCourt (courts.maine.gov/ecourt): Maine's public online case management portal; covers Superior and District Courts statewide.
  • PROBATE COURT: Maine Probate Courts are county-based and administered separately from the unified Maine Judicial Branch; contact individual county Probate Court for estate, will, and guardianship records.
  • Maine Supreme Judicial Court (Law Court) opinions: courts.maine.gov/courts/sjc.
  • Criminal history background checks: Maine State Police, Bureau of State Police - maine.gov/dps/msp; background checks available to public.
  • Maine Sex Offender Registry: maine.gov/dps/msp/investigations/criminal-records/sex-offender-registry - searchable online.
  • Juvenile records: generally sealed; special access rules apply.
  • Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA, 1 M.R.S. §401 et seq.): agencies must respond within 5 business days.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
Maine Judicial Branch - courts.maine.gov | (207) 213-2600 (general); Maine State Police (criminal history) - maine.gov/dps/msp | (207) 624-7009