Self Help Tools

What is the Maine Home Court Act? The Home Court Act is a Maine law passed in 2016. It is meant to prevent more than one case about the same child from happening in different courts. Courts use the Jurisdictional Affidavit to find out about all of the cases involving a child. They do this to make sure they are following the Act.

Federal and State Law Federal and state law allow money from military retirement pay to be withheld to meet most child support and spousal support (alimony) obligations.

Your rights as a parent do not stop when you are in the military and called to active duty. There are many things to consider and plan for, especially if you are separated from your child’s other parent.  This is a summary of some of the relevant Maine laws that may help you understand your rights.

If you are starting a family law case (such as a divorce or setting parental rights and responsibilities), you must tell the other party that you are bringing a court action against them. You do this by "serving" the other party. This means that you give copies of your court papers to the other party. Court rules tell you how this must be done.

How can a family member or other responsible adult become the legal guardian of a child whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them?

Last Updated 9/14/2020 Is PTLA open? Can I still get help? To protect our clients and staff, all PTLA offices are closed to the public. If you have a current case, please reach out to our staff by e-mail or phone.

The Maine court form to petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian for minor

The Maine court form for determining the jurisdiction for certain family law and name change cases

A fill-able .pdf of Maine court form PB-03, the Jurisdictional Affidavit that must be filed in District court with any adoption, minor guardianship, or minor name change case.

This is a sample motion you can use to ask the court to waive the home study in an adoption case