Hancock County Court Records

Hancock County court records are files and documents that contain information about cases heard in the county. Court records can be categorized into the following:

• Criminal case records: Misdemeanors, felonies, ordinance violations, and traffic violations
• Civil case records: Professional malpractices, tort, slander, employment disputes, personal injury cases, libel, breaches of contracts, real property, mortgage foreclosures, and product liabilities
• Family Law case records: Child custody, divorce, alimony, minor support, adoption, emancipation, and paternity
• Juvenile case records: juvenile delinquency and truancy
• Probate records: Wills, estates, trusts, conservatorship, and guardianship

Information contained in Hancock County court records includes the following:

• Case details: Case number, party names, and case type
• Pleadings: Complaints, answers, and motions
• Evidence: Witness statements, exhibits, and transcripts of court proceedings
• Docket entries: List of filings in the case
• Orders and judgments: Court decisions, fines, and sentences

Like other Maine court records, Hancock case files may be used for several purposes, including background checks, legal research, journalism investigation, genealogical research, and academic research.

Are Court Records Public in Hancock County?

Yes. Hancock County court records are public unless exempted by law or marked confidential by court orders. According to the Maine Freedom of Access Act, the public can view and access court records from the county’s courts, provided they are not confidential. Public access to certain court records is restricted s due to sensitive or privacy reasons and are exempted by law or court orders. Such court records in include the following:

• Most juvenile records
• Medical and mental health records
• Adoption records
• Records containing personally identifiable information such as social security number and driver’s license
• Records containing active financial details
• Trade secrets and proprietary information

Hancock County Court Records Search

Record seekers can search for Hancock County court records remotely or in person. The Maine Judiciary Branch provides a means for remotely accessing certain court records from the county. In addition, anyone can visit the courts in the county to search for public court records originating from them. Furthermore, there are third-party websites that can be used to search for non-confidential court records from Hancock County.

Hancock County Courts

There are three courts in Hancock County: Superior, District, and Probate Courts. The Hancock County Superior Court is the only court in the county that offers jury trials. It hears criminal cases and civil equity cases. The Ellsworth District Court in Hancock County hears criminal cases with a maximum punishment of 12 months. It handles general civil cases with unlimited claims, domestic relations matters, juvenile cases, landlord-tenant issues, and most mental health commitments. All probate matters, including admission of wills, administering estates, appointment of guardianships, and adoption cases, are handled by the Hancock County Probate Court. The locations of the courts in Hancock County are listed below:

Hancock County Superior Court
50 State Street
Suite 2
Ellsworth, ME 04605
Phone: (207) 667-7176

Ellsworth District Court - Hancock County
50 State Street
Suite 2
Ellsworth, ME 04605
Phone: (207) 667-7141

Hancock County Probate Court
50 State Street
Suite 6
Ellsworth, ME 04605
Phone: (207) 667-8434
Fax: (207) 667-5316

Hancock County Criminal Records

Hancock County criminal records are records of an individual’s criminal history in the county. These records include arrest warrants, fingerprints, mugshots, trial proceedings, prison sentences, and incarceration records. They are maintained by law enforcement agencies such as the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Maine State Police, and Maine Department of Corrections. The Maine State Bureau of Identification is the custodian of criminal records and is responsible for collecting and maintaining criminal records from Hancock County.

Persons interested in obtaining Hancock County arrest records and other criminal records can use the Maine Criminal History Record & Juvenile Crime Information Request Service platform. Searches can be done by name or birth date and the result will typically be sent to the requester's email address within 12 hours. There is a non-refundable fee of $21 for Hancock County resident subscribers and $31 for non-subscribers or out-of-state subscribers. Alternatively, record seekers can request the county’s criminal records by contacting the Maine State Bureau of Identification at:

State Bureau of Identification
45 Commercial Drive
Suite 1
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 624-7240

Get Hancock County Civil Court Records

Hancock County civil court records are documents of civil proceedings from the county’s courts. These records include case filings, depositions, settlement agreements, motions, writs, civil complaints, fines, and court orders. Hancock County civil court records are generated from cases such as:

• Employment Discrimination
• Personal Injury Lawsuits
• Family Law
• Divorce Proceedings
• Labor disputes
• Slander and libel
• Consumer Protection
• Property Disputes
• Contract Disputes
• Probate and Estate
• Torts
• Professional malpractice cases

Hancock County civil court records are created in the Hancock County Superior Court and the Ellsworth District Court. The Superior Court Clerk maintains and stores most civil court records for the county, which may be accessed by the public. Record seekers can access Hancock County civil court records using the re:SearchMaine platform. They are required to register on the platform at no cost before they can access public court records on it. Alternatively, they can visit the courts to examine or request public civil court records from them.

Hancock County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Hancock County are official documents of the legal union between two persons in the county. They typically contain information such as names and signatures of persons being joined, date of marriage, name and signature of at least two witnesses, location of marriage, name, official capacity, and signature of the person who solemnized the marriage, and parents' name. Marriage records in Hancock County are open to the public after 50 years and may only be accessed by persons directly involved with the marriage during the period they are not made public. Such persons include spouses named on the record, their parents or descendants, authorized representatives, and registered genealogists.

Marriage records are maintained by the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics under the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Eligible persons can request marriage certificates from the Office of Vital Records at:

Vital Records
11 State House Station
220, Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04222-0011

Requesters must provide proof of eligibility such as relationship to persons named on the record and government-issued Identification cards. The following information is required to complete a request for a Hancock County marriage certificate:

• Date of marriage
• Name of both parties before (first) marriage
• Name of the municipality in Hancock County the marriage occurred in
• Requester’s phone number
• Check of $15 made payable to “Treasurer - State of Maine”

Hancock County Divorce Records

Divorce records are official documents generated during and after the dissolution of a union or marriage. Hancock County divorce records include divorce complaints, filings, summons, affidavits, orders, and financial information. Per the Maine Freedom of Access Act, parts of divorce records containing sensitive information are closed to the public. Information such as financial information, child custody information, and other information that can threaten the safety of children in the divorce are restricted. Any individual interested in obtaining Hancock County divorce records must show a legitimate interest in the records. The Office of Vital Records maintains divorce records for the county. Eligible persons must contact the Vital Records office to request Hancock County divorce records with the following:

• Date of divorce
• Name on the divorce record
• Name of the city/town in Hancock County the divorce occurred in
• Requester’s phone number
• Check of $15 made payable to “Treasurer - State of Maine”

Hancock Birth and Death Records

Hancock County birth and death records are official documents of the births and deaths of individuals in the county. These records are useful for the following purposes:

• Demographic and statistical purposes
• Epidemiology study and disease tracking
• Genealogical research
• Public health research and policy development
• Archival purposes
• Identity verification
• Data mining and machine learning training

Per the Maine Revised Statutes Title 22, Section 2706, Hancock County birth records are usually made public after 75 years and death records after 25 years. However, persons with direct and legitimate interest in the records can obtain the records, if they can show proof of eligibility. The Office of Vital Records is the custodian of Hancock County birth and death records. Eligible persons can contact the office to request Hancock County birth and death records. They must present the following to access the county’s birth or death records:

• Name on the birth or death record
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Name of town/city in Hancock County where the birth/death occurred in
• Name of parents, including mother’s maiden name for birth records
• Relationship to the name on the record
• Check of $15 made payable to “Treasurer - State of Maine”

Hancock County Probate Court Records

Probate court records in Hancock County comprise records from the following matters:

• Wills
• Estates of deceased persons
• Guardianship for minors and incapacitated adults
• Legal name change
• Adoption
• Conservatorship
• Trusts

All probate matters in the county are handled by the Hancock County Probate Court and maintained by Hancock County Registry of Probate. Probate court records are typically open to the public except restricted by law or court order. Persons interested in Hancock County probate court records can access them from the Maine Probate Search tool. They can search by case number or name and filter the results to Hancock County probate records only. Alternatively, they can request them from the Hancock County Probate Court.

Hancock County Property Records

Property records in Hancock County are official documents of properties in the county. These records can be used for tax assessment, property evaluation, zoning planning, and mortgage applications. Hancock County property records contain the following information:

• Property location, size, and boundaries
• Deeds, titles, and transfer documents
• Value assessment and appraisal records
• Liens
• Payment history and tax liens
• Mortgage documents and payment history
• Easements
• Plats and surveys
• Geographic information system (GIS) data
• Zoning permits

In Hancock County, property records are public records and are maintained by the Hancock County Registry of Deeds. Record seekers can search for Hancock property records online using the county's property search tool. They can also access them from the Registry of Deeds office at:

Hancock County Registry of Deeds
50 State Street, Suite 9
Ellsworth, ME 04605

Hancock County Court Records Online

Record seekers may use third-party online resources like mainecourtrecords.us to access court records in Hancock County. These resources offer faster and more user-friendly interfaces for accessing court records from the county. They also do not have the limitations associated with official platforms. However, they may be more expensive to use, and information obtained through them may not be current or accurate.