Court records in Kennebec County, Maine, are maintained by the clerks of the respective courts and are accessible through official court portals, offices, and online tools. KennebecCourt.us will help you navigate the publicly available information on court cases in this county. Additionally, you can use the Maine eCourts portal, contact the court office directly, or visit the Kennebec County Administration office.
Kennebec Court System Overview
Kennebec County is part of the Maine state court system, which has a unified structure. The state courts in the county are represented by the Superior Court and the District Court, both located in the Capital Judicial Center in Augusta, the state capital. Kennebec County Superior Court handles serious criminal and civil cases. Additionally, there is a separate Probate Court in the county that deals with inheritance and guardianship cases. The Kennebec judicial district also covers cases from the neighboring Somerset County in some categories through the Unified Criminal Docket.
Courts Serving Kennebec
Residents of Kennebec County are served by several courts at the state and federal levels.
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Kennebec County Superior Court | 1 Court Street, Suite 101, Augusta, ME 04330 | See court website |
| Augusta District Court | 1 Court Street, Augusta, ME 04330 | See court website |
| Kennebec County Probate Court | 125 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330 | See court website |
| U.S. District Court, District of Maine | 156 Federal Street, Portland, ME 04101 | (207) 780-3356 |
The federal district court of Maine (District of Maine) has jurisdiction over the entire state, with its main office located in Portland. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine.
What Types of Cases Kennebec Courts Hear
Kennebec County courts handle a wide range of cases. Here are the main categories:
- Criminal cases: felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil cases: claims of any amount, including small claims
- Family law: divorce, child custody, alimony, protective orders
- Probate: estate management, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile matters: juvenile justice, child protection, adoption
- Traffic violations and DUI
Each category is assigned to the appropriate court depending on the severity of the case and the claim amount.
District Court Cases in Kennebec
The District Court in Augusta is a general jurisdiction trial court. It hears misdemeanor criminal cases, civil claims, family matters (divorce, custody, protective orders), and traffic violations. Serious criminal offenses (Class A, B, C) are handled by the Unified Criminal Docket, managed by the Superior Court. Cases are initiated by filing a complaint, claim, or motion. A judge is assigned according to internal distribution. Initial hearings include arraignment for criminal cases and scheduling conferences for civil cases.
Magistrate Court Cases in Kennebec
The Maine court system does not have a separate "magistrate court" in the traditional sense. Instead, the District Court serves as the trial court of first instance for cases that would fall under magistrate jurisdiction in other states. The court handles small claims up to $6,000 according to Maine state law, as well as misdemeanors, traffic violations, DUI cases, and preliminary hearings for serious crimes. Civil cases without monetary limits also begin in the District Court. If a party disagrees with a small claims decision, they may appeal to the Superior Court.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Kennebec
Family Law. Divorce, custody, alimony, paternity, and protective orders from domestic violence are handled by the District Court. Applications are submitted to the court office at the Capital Judicial Center.
Probate Matters. Kennebec County Probate Court manages estate administration, guardian and conservator appointments, and trust matters. This court operates separately from the District Court and has its own schedule of meetings.
Juvenile Matters. Juvenile cases and child protective cases are heard in the District Court. Juvenile case records are confidential under Maine law.
How Cases Move Through the Kennebec Court System
- Case Initiation: filing a criminal complaint, civil claim, or motion with the court office.
- Judge Assignment: the case is assigned to a judge according to the court's internal rules.
- Initial Hearings: arraignment in criminal cases; scheduling conference or case management conference in civil cases.
- Pre-Trial Phase: filing motions, exchanging evidence (discovery), plea negotiations in criminal cases.
- Trial or Resolution: jury trial or judge trial, settlement, plea agreement, default judgment.
- Post-Judgment: sentencing, appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court (Law Court), enforcement of judgment.
Serious criminal cases are processed through the Unified Criminal Docket and heard by the Superior Court.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Kennebec
The courts in Kennebec County are administered by the Maine Judicial Branch. The chief judge of the county is responsible for case distribution and court process management at the Capital Judicial Center.
Public access to court records is governed by the Maine Rules of Electronic Court Record Access. Through the Maine eCourts portal, you can view Kennebec County Superior Court and Unified Criminal Docket cases. For remote access to electronic records, parties must provide an email address as specified on the electronic records access page.
Most court records in Maine are public, except for juvenile cases, sealed records, and certain family matters. Requests for public records can also be made under the Maine Freedom of Access Act. Hearings are generally open to the public; some are held remotely via video — check the format with the court office.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Kennebec
- Online Case Search: Maine eCourts allows searching for Kennebec County Superior Court and Unified Criminal Docket cases.
- Criminal History: criminal records can be checked through the online criminal history request service from the Maine State Police. The service provides information only on adult convictions.
- Sheriff's Records: the records division of the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office provides incident and arrest reports for $10.00 (cash or money order).
- Inmate Roster: the current inmate roster of the Kennebec County Correctional Facility is available online.
- State Convict Search: the Maine Department of Corrections offers a free search for adult convicts in the state correctional system.
- Registry of Deeds: the Kennebec County Registry of Deeds maintains property records. The office is located at 77 Winthrop Street, Augusta, ME 04330, phone (207) 622-0431.
- Sealing and Expungement of Records: information on sealing criminal records can be found on the Judicial Branch website. Maine does not have full expungement for most convictions but provides for deletion of arrest records under certain conditions.
- Vital Records: birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates are maintained by the Division of Vital Records of Maine, as well as municipal offices.
- Property Taxes: information on assessment and tax collection in the city of Augusta can be found at the Bureau of Treasury and Tax Collection.
- Civil Process Documents: the civil process division of the sheriff's office serves court documents within the county.