York County
Established in 1639, York County is located in Maine's coastal region. It is bordered on the west by the Salmon Falls River and the Piscataqua River, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the north by the Ossipe and Saco Rivers. It is the state's oldest and second most populated county, with a population of 218,586 people. Alfred serves as its county seat.
York County's trial court system comprises a superior court, a district court, and a probate court. The York County Superior Court, which is the sole court that offers jury trials, has the authority to hear all criminal and civil cases, including felony cases, administrative agency appeals, and equitable relief lawsuits.
York County District Court is a limited jurisdiction court that oversees specific civil and criminal cases, including ordinance violations, landlord-tenant disputes, general civil claims for monetary damages, most domestic relations suits, civil ordinance offenses, and other crimes that attract less than one-year imprisonment terms. It also oversees guilty plea proceedings and non-jury criminal lawsuits, along with equity relief lawsuits and mental health commitment cases. The District Court also encompasses various divisions, including a Family Division, a Juvenile Court, a Small Claims Court, and a Traffic Division.
The York County Probate Court exercises general jurisdiction over all probate issues, including wills, trusts, administration of decedents' estates, appointment of guardians, petitions for name change, and adoptions. It shares jurisdiction with the Superior Court over certain probate cases relating to wills, trusts, or estates.
York County court records contain detailed legal information about cases tried in the county courts. Typical information in these court records includes indexes, docket entries, case transcriptions, recordings of proceedings, orders, and jury verdicts. Court records provide vital legal information about case histories and establish important legal precedences. York County legal records, which can be preserved in various formats such as paper and digital formats, include:
- Family law records
- Probate records
- Civil records
- Juvenile records
- Criminal records
The York County Clerk of the Superior Court maintains court records and facilitates access to non-exempt records upon request. Requesters can access court records online through eCourt, the Maine State's case management system, or the public terminals at county courthouses. Record seekers may also lodge formal court records requests by mail or in person at the Superior Court Clerk's Office or the clerks of the courthouses where their case proceedings occurred.
