Cumberland County
As the most populous county in Maine, Cumberland County has over 300,000 inhabitants and covers a total area of 1,217 square miles. The county is home to Sebago Lake, which is the deepest body of water in the state.
Cumberland County is served by a superior court, two district courts, a juvenile court, and a probate court. The Cumberland Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction; it handles nearly all types of civil and criminal cases, excluding family matters, civil violations, and juvenile cases. The superior court presides over all murder cases, as well as class A, B, and C criminal cases. Notably, it is the only court in the county that conducts jury trials.
The two district courts in Cumberland County handle civil, criminal, and family cases. Each district court has a family court division that provides a responsive system of justice for the support of children and the needs of families. This division carries out its functions by educating the parties involved in cases brought before the court and providing alternative techniques for resolving disputes.
The juvenile court is responsible for handling criminal offenses committed by persons who are under the age of 18. This court focuses on providing care, treatment, and guidance to young offenders to help them learn from their mistakes and become productive members of society. The probate court in Cumberland County handles legal matters related to guardianships for adults and minors, name changes, and wills and estates, as well as conservatorship.
According to the Maine Rules of Electronic Court Systems (MRECS), a court record classified as “accessible by the public†is open for inspection by the public and can also be reproduced. Some public court records are only accessible through the public access computers provided in the county courthouses while others are accessible both remotely and at the courthouse where they were filed.
Cumberland County courthouses allow the public inspection of the records of:
- Civil Cases (before the entry of a judgment)
- Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED)
- Small Claims
- Foreclosure
- Criminal Cases
- Probate Cases
- Certain juvenile cases
- Manslaughter and felony murder
- Class A, B, and C violations committed by a minor
Remotely accessible civil court records can be viewed by creating an account or logging onto the Maine Judicial Branch re:SearchMaine portal. Alternatively, interested parties can look up cases on the public access computers in the courthouses. Probate court records for Cumberland County are available online too and can be retrieved by case number or party name.
