Maine Public Records

Maine is an historic state with a rich past, and many interesting records are available to the public. Also available are Maine birth records, death, marriage and divorce records, although access is restricted to authorized recipients. These Maine public records from 1923 to the present are maintained by the Division of Public Health Systems. Maine court records, both civil and criminal, are available upon request at the District Court or Superior Court that handled the case. Also available are divorce records, which are not restricted when viewed through the court system. The State Bureau of Identification provides online access to Maine criminal records. Anyone may request these, although public inquiries are limited to adult conviction information. To access historic Maine public records, visit the State Archives. Here, collections include Maine military records, cemetery and vital records, as well as historic court records and obituaries.

About Maine Public Records

Maine offers public access to many types of records, but does restrict access to vital records. Maine death records, birth, marriage and divorce records are released to the public after 100 years and are mostly stored at the State Archives. Authorized recipients of these Maine public records include the person of record, a family member or a legal representative.

Maine vital records are protected for privacy and to prevent identity fraud, since this specific set of records may be used to establish identity. However, the Division of Public Health Systems allows genealogists to apply for the privilege of viewing informational copies of these Maine public records.

Performing a Public Records Search in Maine

The Maine court system, which does have a central website that provides an overview of each court’s role in the justice system and lists the individual courts of Maine, does not offer an online public access portal to court records. Although individual courts might offer this feature, most do not.  Subsequently, while Maine court records are open to the public unless sealed by a judge or deal with juveniles or adoption, these documents must be obtained in person. Free public records in Maine do include access to civil and criminal court records, although there is a fee to make copies.  Alas, online access is virtually non-existent.

However, a public records search in Maine can also include criminal records, which are provided online by the Bureau of Criminal Identification. This is a fee-based service but is invaluable for providing almost instant access to criminal conviction information statewide. Although criminal court records may be searched freely at the courthouse, a statewide search would require many phone calls and a long trip if a particular court required in-person pickup of records.

Exploring Historic Maine Gov Public Records

The Maine State Archives, located in Augusta, offers public access to its vast records collection. These include Maine military records relating to the Civil War, War of 1812, Revolutionary War, and the local Aroostook War, just to name a few. Also available at the State Archives are various cemetery indexes throughout the state, and the historical Maine vital records herein include historic birth, death, marriage and divorce records beginning in 1892. Older Maine vital records do exist, but these are mostly on file with the particular town or city where the event occurred.

Historic Maine obituaries are also included in these Maine gov public records, including obituaries from the Civil War era. Historic Maine court records are stored here for sixteen counties, and these begin in 1636. Town histories are present along with county specific records, and these contain many of the Maine military, cemetery and vital records mentioned. Anyone may visit the State Archives, and there is no admittance fee.  However, there is a fee to make copies and a fee for staff to conduct research, if requested.