Maine
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Maine — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Maine
The Maine Judicial Branch walks you through divorce in four steps — how to start, mediation, and what to file. Start there before anything else.
Maine Judicial Branch — Divorce
The court's own four-step guide to starting a divorce or custody case, with forms and mediation info.
courts.maine.gov — divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
Maine State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
$35 admin fee; the first 30-minute consultation is free.
mainebar.org — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Pine Tree Legal Assistance
Maine's statewide legal-aid hub with self-help tools. (Maine has no separate LawHelp site — this is it.)
ptla.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-452-1999 — Maine DHHS Office of Child and Family Services, 24/7 including holidays (711 Maine Relay).
maine.gov — report abuse →Maine Foreclosure Diversion Program
The Judicial Branch's court-run mediation program for owner-occupants of 1–4 unit primary residences — request mediation within 20 days of receiving court papers.
courts.maine.gov — foreclosure diversion →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence
Statewide helpline 1-866-834-4357 (1-866-834-HELP); 9 member organizations across Maine.
mcedv.org — get help →Unpaid wages in Maine
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Maine.
Where to go
Maine Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Time limit to file
unverified
What the floor is
$14.65 (2025)
Changing your name in Maine
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Maine.
How it works
petition the probate court in your county
Typical court fee
~$60
Newspaper notice required?
no
Small claims court in Maine
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Maine.
Maximum claim
$10,000
Filing fee
$70
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed
Clearing your criminal record in Maine
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Maine stands.
Can records be cleared?
very limited — sealing, not expungement
What qualifies
sealing for low-level Class E misdemeanors committed at ages 18–21
Waiting period
4 years after sentence for eligible youthful offenses
Child support in Maine
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Maine.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' gross incomes combined) support table in 19-A M.R.S. § 2006; forms on Maine Judicial Branch website
When it ends
age 18, or 19 if still in high school
Lemon law in Maine
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Maine's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased vehicles; used vehicles still under new-car warranty also covered
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts for same defect or 15+ business days out of service within 3 years/18,000 miles/warranty term
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in Maine
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Maine.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end tenancy at will; 7-day notice for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
Max 2 months' rent; returned within 30 days (21 days for tenancy at will) with itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct after 14-day written notice by certified mail (cap $500 or half month's rent)
DUI / DWI in Maine
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Maine handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; 48-hour mandatory jail at 0.15+ (with other aggravators)
Typical penalties
Up to 364 days jail, $500+ fine, 150-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10-year lookback
Gun laws in Maine
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (since 2015), 21+ (18-20 with optional permit or military service)
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without permit (18+)
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Required only for advertised or gun-show private sales (must go through dealer) Waiting period: 72 hours (enjoined by court order in 2025; litigation pending).
Extreme risk protection
Yes — (Question 2 approved by voters Nov 2025; ERPO law alongside existing yellow flag law). Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Recognizes resident permits from states that recognize Maine's resident permits (mutual reciprocity)
Filming the police: your rights in Maine
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (15 M.R.S. §§ 709-711)
No buffer-zone law
Maine has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Maine is one-party consent for wire and oral communications under its interception statute. No Maine-specific court ruling on recording police and no state buffer-zone law were found; federal courts protect recording on-duty officers in public.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Maine
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Maine
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Maine
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Maine
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Maine
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →