Kennebec County Court Records

Kennebec County court records are materials such as documents, files, and transcripts associated with court cases in Kennebec County. The county maintains these documents for future reference during appeals and retrials. They can also be used for educational research, genealogy tracing, tax, and estate matters. Some examples of Kennebec County court records are court dockets, subpoenas, summons, case transcripts, pleadings, orders, etc.

Are Court Records Public in Kennebec County?

Yes, court records are public in Kennebec County, Maine. § 402 of the Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) defines public records as "any data in the possession or custody of an agency or public official ". By this definition, a court record is a public record and is open to the public for inspection. The FOAA also states that individuals be granted access to these public records. However, there are some exceptions, some of which are:

• Records designated confidential by statute
• Records not disclosable under discovery in a case
• Legislative papers not yet signed and distributed
• Personally identifiable information about minors
• Social Security numbers
• Personal contact information of public employees

Kennebec County Court Records Search

Kennebec County court record search can be done online/remotely or by submitting a request form to the State of Maine Judicial Branch.

Online records have three categories of accessibility:

• Records are accessible only by attorneys of record and parties.
• Records accessible by the public remotely: These records can be accessed online resources managed by the record custodians. Registration may be necessary to conduct searches, and both registration and searches are free.
• Records accessible by the public only at a courthouse where eFiling is available: Where a courthouse has eFiling, electronic court record searches can be conducted there for free. At these courthouses, record copies are free as well.

Searches through the State of Maine Judicial Branch attract a fee of $20 per name per box checked in the court's location search parameters. Copies are $2 for the first page and $1 for additional copies. Attested copies (with the Court seal) are $5 per document. Individuals searching for cases in which they were a party, in-state and out-of-state agencies that perform governmental functions are exempt from paying search fees.

Kennebec County Court Records Search by Name

To conduct a Kennebec County court records search by name, interested members of the public may query the court clerk of the custodian court with the name of the individual on the record of interest.

Kennebec County Courts

The Kennebec County court system is made up of the following

Kennebec County Superior Court
1 Court Street,
Suite 101,
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 213-2800

Augusta District Court
1 Court Street,
Suite 101,
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 213-2800

Waterville District Court
18 Colby Street,
Waterville, ME 04901
Phone: (207) 873-2103

Kennebec Probate Court
95 State Street
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 622-7558

The District Courts handle criminal and civil matters, divorce, tort claims, and more. The Superior Court handles civil and criminal matters beyond the purview of the district courts. The probate court handles all probate cases.

Kennebec County Superior Court Case Search

Kennebec County Superior Court case search can be conducted online state-operated online platforms for accessing electronic court records where eFiling is available. The platform provides free user registration and searches. Searchers will need the first and last name of the party of the case number.

In place of an online search or where the records sought are not available online, searchers can visit the Kennebec County Superior Courthouse and request to search for the records there.

Searchers can also search through a Record Search Request Form mailed to the State of Maine Judicial Branch. The attached fees are as follows:

• $20 per box was checked using the court's location search parameters.
• Copies are $2 for the first page and $1 for additional copies.
• Attested copies (with the Court seal) are $5 per document.

However, selected persons may be exempt from paying search fees.

Kennebec County District Court Records

Kennebec County has two district courts: the Augusta District Court and the Waterville District Court. The district courts handle civil, family, lesser criminal offenses, traffic, and property cases. Their records can be accessed online at the District Courthouses if eFiling is available. If the records are not available online, they can simply be requested there at the courthouse. The District Courts' records can also be accessed by filing and mailing a Record Search Request Form to the State of Maine Judicial Branch. The attached fees are as follows:

• $20 per box checked in the court's location search parameters.
• Copies are $2 for the first page and $1 for additional copies.
• Attested copies (with the Court seal) are $5 per document.

Kennebec County Criminal Records

Kennebec County criminal records are maintained by the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office. The office collates criminal records such as sex offenders registry, arrest warrants (active and inactive), arrest records, most wanted lists, and other criminal records.

Information on active warrants can be accessed through the Kennebec County Warrant look-up service. All records can be accessed by making a request to the department's records division. Individuals can also use third-party sites to access Kennebec County criminal records.

Kennebec County Sheriff's Office
73 Winthrop Street, Augusta ME, 04330
Phone: (207) 623-3614
Fax: (207) 622 - 0990
records@kennebecso.com

Alternatively, individuals can access Kennebec County criminal records through the State of Maine Criminal History Record and Juvenile Crime Information Service (CHRJCI). The service requires a user subscription. To conduct the search, searchers will need to provide the subject's full name and date of birth. The fee schedule for this service is as follows:

• Maine InforME Subscribers: $21.00
• Out-of-State InforME Subscribers: $31.00
• Non-Subscribers: $31.00
• Notarized reports: $10

Kennebec County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Kennebec County criminal court case records are available for search and inspection at the courthouse where the case was filed. This will most likely be the Augusta and Waterville District Courts and the Superior Court.

Kennebec County criminal court case information can also be accessed by filing and mailing a Record Search Request Form to the State of Maine Judicial Branch.

Get Kennebec County Civil Court Records

Kennebec County does not have a "civil court". Rather it has district courts and a superior court. The Augusta and Waterville District Courts, and Kennebec County Superior Court hold all the civil case records in Kennebec County because they handle civil cases. For example: divorce, dispute claims, juvenile cases, property cases, etc. The records can be accessed by visiting or contacting the courthouses.

Civil case records can also be accessed by filing and mailing a Record Search Request Form to the State of Maine Judicial Branch.

Kennebec County Family Court Records

The District Courts in Kennebec County have a family division that handles family-related cases including divorce and family separation, child protection cases, and juvenile cases. All such records are maintained by the District Courts' Clerks and can be accessed by contacting their office. Family Division records can also be accessed by filing and mailing a Record Search Request Form to the State of Maine Judicial Branch. It is important to note that divorce records are part of Kennebec County Vital records, and the law only permits specific people access.

Kennebec County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Kennebec County's dissolution of marriage records include all records on a divorce or annulment handled by the District Courts. These records constitute family court records and can be obtained at the presiding courthouse or by accessing any of the case search systems, previously described in this article.

Kennebec County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriage and Divorce records in Kennebec County are Vital Records. The records are maintained by the State of Maine Department of Public Health Systems. Vital records are only available to the following persons:

• The record holder, their spouse or domestic partner
• The parents or legal guardians of the record holder
• Their children - biological or adopted
• Geneologists and researches

To make a Marriage and divorce records request, the requester must provide the following:

• Name of both parties:
  • Marriage Records (as they appear before first marriage)
  • Divorce records (as they appear at the time of the divorce)
• Date of marriage or divorce
• Name of city/town the marriage or divorce occurred in.
• A daytime telephone number.
• A check payable to: "Treasurer - State of Maine".

A Kennebec County marriage and divorce records request can be made by mail using the appropriate vital records request form or online through services provided by the state's official online partner. Certified copies are available for a fee of $15, non-certified copies for $10 and additional copies of the same records for $6.

Requesters must provide a valid photo ID. Individuals who cannot provide a valid photo ID may present a document for the list available here. Individuals claiming to have a direct interest in the record must present evidence of that claim. For example, individuals claiming to be parents, children or legal representatives.

Kennebec County Birth and Death Records

Kennebec County birth and death records are also Vital Records. This means they are maintained by the State of Maine Department of Public Health. However, Maine is a closed records state. This means the law only allows specific persons access to vital records. The list of such persons is mentioned in the article directly above. To access birth and death records, the requester must provide:

1. Name on the birth record or name of the decedent
2. Date of birth or death
3. Location of the birth/death
4. Parents names - please use the mother's maiden name (for birth records only)
5. A statement of the relationship to the name on the birth or death record being requested.
6. A daytime telephone number.
7. A check payable to: "Treasurer - State of Maine".

Kennebec County Probate Court Records

Kennebec County Probate Court maintains probate court records, including wills and estates, guardianship, name changes, and other documents. Searchers can contact the court to access these records. The Kennebec County Registry of Deeds also maintains some probate court records.

Kennebec County Property Records

The Kennebec County Registry of Deeds maintains Kennebec County Property Records. Some examples of such records are deeds, leases, mortgages, foreclosure records, liens, property tax information, etc. Property records can be accessed online through the Kennebec County Registry of Deeds database after user registration or in person at their office upon request. Record copies have the following fees:

• For Standard Registry Copy - $1.00 per page
• For Certified Copy - $1.00 per page plus a certification fee
• For Plan Copy - $5.00 per page
• For Website copy, the fee is $.50 per page after the first 500 pages are acquired in the calendar year.

The Kennebec County Register of Deeds office can be contacted at:

77 Winthrop Street
P.O. Box 1053
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: (207) 622-0431
Hours: 8am – 4pm

Kennebec County Court Records Online

Members of the public can access Kennebec County's main court records online through the court's provided database, government websites, and an independent third-party database. For example, Mainecourtrecords.us is a third-party site that contains case information and computerized court records for many counties, including Kennebec County. The records are usually obtained from the counties themselves.

An advantage of using third-party sites is that it may be faster than making in-person queries to official sources. However, the information provided on the sites may not be complete or up to date, and the courts or departments in Kennebec County cannot be held liable for any losses amassed from using the information on the sites. Individuals using third-party sites should always check with the relevant county office to ensure the information provided is accurate.