Hancock County
Hancock County was established in 1789 and named after John Hancock. It covers approximately 1,587.1 square miles of land, making it the 8th largest county in Maine by total area. Hancock County has an estimated population of 55,478 residents, and Ellsworth serves as the county seat. The Hancock County court system consists of a Superior Court, a District Court, and a Probate Court.
The Hancock County Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction. It hears cases involving criminal matters, felonies, and civil equity cases. The Hancock County District Court has limited jurisdiction over certain types of criminal and civil cases. It also handles cases involving domestic relations, mental health, juvenile matters, and civil claims with unlimited monetary amounts. Additionally, the District Court comprises the Family Division, Traffic Division, Juvenile Court Division, and Small Claims Courts Division. The Family Division hears cases involving legal separation, child support, and paternity. The Traffic Division handles traffic tickets, while the Juvenile Court Division oversees criminal cases involving juvenile defendants. The Small Claims Court Division has jurisdiction over cases with disputes of less than $4,500. The Hancock County Probate Court handles legal cases concerning wills, estates, guardianships, name changes, and other family-related issues.
Hancock County court records are documents and files that contain information related to cases heard within the county. These records include pleadings, case details, docket entries, evidence, and orders. Hancock County records include the following:
â— Criminal Records
â— Family Records
â— Probate Records
â— Juvenile Records
â— Civil Records
In Hancock County, court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts. These records are accessible to the public while adhering to confidentiality rules for sensitive information, such as juvenile or sealed cases. Interested individuals may search court records online through the Maine eCourt public portal or in person at the courthouses.
