Penobscot County Court Records

Penobscot County court records are documents maintained by a court clerk in any criminal, civil, or traffic court proceeding. Court records provide a comprehensive account of legal proceedings, detailing the case history, actions and motions filed, and the verdict of the judge and jury. They usually contain the case information (party name, case name, case type, court location, judge, court schedule, and case status), docket number, court docket entries, transcripts, exhibits, attorney information, appeals, pleadings, orders, and judgments.

To facilitate access to Penobscot County court records, the State of Maine Judicial Branch mandates electronic filing of all court records generated within the state. In line with the provisions of the state’s Freedom to Access Act, members of the public may search for Maine court records online (where available) or in person at respective county courthouses.

Are Court Records Public in Penobscot County?

Yes. According to §408-A of the Maine Freedom of Access Act, any person has the right to inspect and request copies of any public record in the custody of a state, county, or municipal government agency during reasonable office hours. Any agency that refuses to fulfill a request or rejects an application to inspect a record must provide a written notice of denial stating the reason for such denial within five working days from the day the request was received.

Access to Penobscot County court records may be denied where such a record is an exception to public records. This means that by the provision of statutes or by federal or state law, it is confidential, sealed, or expunged, and it is not subject to disclosure (Title 1, §431). Information contained in court records that may be exempt from public disclosure include:

• Medical records
• Personal financial information
• Personally identifying information concerning minors
• Juvenile records
• Social security numbers
• Law enforcement investigations.

Penobscot County Court Records Search

Interested persons can find Penobscot County court records at any of the following locations:

• The Penobscot County Courthouse, where the case was filed
• The office of the Court Clerk
• Maine eCourt Public Portal
• Third-party aggregate court records search platforms.

Penobscot County Court Records Search by Name

Penobscot County court records may be identified by performing a name-based search. The court record may be obtained in person at the County Courthouse or via mail or fax. Before performing the search, contact the clerk’s office and ask questions about the procedure.

At the courthouse, requesters will be required to fill out a record search request form and provide details about the case to start the search process. This may include the first and last name of the parties, business name, date of birth, docket number, case type, and case status. Although the court clerk allows visitors to view records at no cost, requests for a record search and copies of documents, recordings, and other court records are not free. The court clerk is legally required to charge for copying and certifying records in line with its fee schedule.

The record search fee costs $20 per name and search parameter. Individuals searching for cases in which they are a party are exempt from paying search fees. The copying fee for court documents is $2 for the first page and $1 for every extra page. Certified and stamped copies cost an additional $5 per document. The fee may be paid in cash (for in-person submissions only), by check, money order, or credit card. For mail requests, mail the completed form along with a self-addressed envelope to the relevant Court Clerk’s office. Make sure to provide the correct information.

Another way to search for Penobscot County court records by name is through the Maine eCourts Public Portal or SearchMaine.

Penobscot County Courts

The Penobscot Court system consists of a superior court, district courts, and a probate court. Please find listed below the addresses and contact information of all courts in the Penobscot County jurisdiction:

Penobscot County Superior Court
78 Exchange Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 561-2300

Bangor District Court
78 Exchange Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 561-2300

Lincoln District Court
52 Main Street
Lincoln, ME 04457
Phone: (207) 794-8512

Maine District Court - Millinocket
207 Penobscot Avenue
Millinocket, ME 04462
Mailing Address:
52 Main Street
Lincoln, NH 04457
Phone: (207) 723-4786 ext 5.

Newport District Court
12 Water Street
Newport, ME 04953
Phone: (207) 368-5778

Penobscot County Probate Court
97 Hammond Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 942-8763
Fax: (207) 561-6184

Penobscot County Superior Court Case Search

The Penobscot Superior Court handles a wide range of legal issues. Generally, the county superior court is a higher court of authority and handles more complex cases than the district courts. The Penobscot Superior Court has the authority to adjudicate civil and criminal matters, probates, estate administration, juvenile delinquency, family law, and domestic relations cases.

Through the eCourts system, the Maine Judicial Branch creates a platform for interested persons to access online records at their convenience. Presently, only public civil court records are available online to the general public. However, individuals who are named parties in a case can access their own civil, family law, child protection matters, and protection order cases via remote access. The search criteria include the record number, first, last, and suffix of the middle name.

Court records that can’t be retrieved online may be available for inspection and copying at the Penobscot County Superior Court Clerk's office. It is also important to note that the Maine Judicial Branch is replacing the Maine eCourts Public Portal with the new online platform, SearchMaine. This means that the information on the new eCourts platform may be more accurate and up to date.

Penobscot County District Court Records

The State of Maine Judicial Branch has four district courts in Penobscot County, namely, the Bangor District Court, the Lincoln District Court, the Millinocket District Court, and the Newport District Court. These courts handle criminal cases like misdemeanors and traffic violations and conduct preliminary hearings for felonies. They also have jurisdiction over small claims and other civil matters. Judgments given at the district court may be appealed to the county superior court.

Penobscot County district court records can be retrieved from the respective county courthouses and are also available online at the Maine eCourts Portal. However, access to case information is restricted to public civil cases only. Researchers are more likely to get comprehensive records by sending a request via mail or physically at the district court.

Penobscot County Criminal Records

The Penobscot County criminal records are available to interested persons through the Maine Bureau of Identification. To lookup criminal records, searchers will need to provide the subject’s full name or date of birth. This service costs between $21.00 and $31.00, depending on whether the requestor is a subscriber or out-of-town. For additional information, contact the Bureau using the information below.

Bureau of Identification
42 State House Station
45 Commerce Drive
Augusta, Maine 04333-0042
Phone: (207) 624-7240 or (207) 287-3659 (TDD)
Fax: (207) 287-3422
Email: info@informe.org.

Penobscot County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Criminal cases are offenses against the state, and the state attorney prosecutes them. Penobscot criminal court case records are filed or generated regarding a criminal trial for a felony, misdemeanor, or traffic violation case. Criminal court case information may be accessed at public terminals located at the originating courthouse; this may be the district court (misdemeanors and other lesser offenses) or the county superior court (felonies and other criminal cases appealed from the district court).

Get Penobscot County Civil Court Records

Civil court records in Penobscot County can be obtained remotely at the Maine eCourts Portal. Civil cases usually revolve around disputes between individuals, businesses, and organizations. Common types of civil cases include family law, dissolution of marriage, personal injury, trespass, negligence, contract disputes, tenancy disputes, property, and administration of estates and trusts. Penobscot County Civil Court records are an official document of all pleadings, claims, counterclaims, court orders, injunctions, transcripts, liens, decrees, and judgments in a civil court proceeding. Civil records can also be retrieved from the court clerk’s office of the originating court.

Penobscot County Family Court Records

The Penobscot County Superior Court handles all family law/court matters within the county. Thus, family court records are part of the superior court records. The types of cases usually relegated to the family law division of the court are divorce, dissolution of marriage, separation, annulments, spousal support, domestic violence actions, child support, custody, dependency, child abuse, child neglect, visitation rights, paternity, juvenile delinquency, and adoption.

Family court records are often subject to non-disclosure because of their nature and because they usually concern persons under 18 years of age (minors). Therefore, it is necessary to contact the court clerk to inquire about the accessibility of the record sought.

Penobscot Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage records typically concerns divorce, separation, and annulments. Interested persons may contact or visit the clerk of the Superior Court to confirm the record's availability and the fees, procedures, and requirements for obtaining it. The Register of Deeds also provides online access to divorce documents.

Penobscot County Marriage and Divorce Records

Individuals requesting a copy of Penobscot County Vital Records (marriage, divorce, birth, and death records) must do so in writing and submit their application along with a means of identification. A certified copy of Penobscot County marriage and divorce records costs $15, and an additional copy of the same record costs $6, while non-certified copies cost $10. Individuals applying to receive these records must be either the person named on the record or one that has a legal relationship with or legitimate interest in the record. Such persons include the spouse, domestic partner, parents, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, legal guardian/custodian, or an authorized representative of the person named on the record.

To complete your order, mail the written request and application form along with the stipulated fee by check or money order to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Or any of its district offices. The mail should include a copy of a valid photo ID and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Maine CDC- Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics
11 State House Station
220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: (207) 287-3181 or (888) 664-9491 (Toll Free).

Bangor District Office
19 Maine Avenue
Bangor, Maine 04401
Phone: (207) 561-4100 or (800) 432-7825 (Toll Free)
Fax: (207) 941-8871
Email: bangor.dhhs@maine.gov.

Penobscot Birth and Death Records

Penobscot County birth and death records may be retrieved from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office or any of its municipal offices (for example the Bangor branch in Penobscot County). They may only be issued to the following class of people:

• The subject of the record
• Parents named in the record
• Legal guardians or custodians
• Authorized or legal representatives of the person named in the record
• Spouses or registered domestic partners
• Children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren.

To request a copy of a certified or non-certified birth certificate, complete the application form, and submit it alongside a written request, valid ID, self-addressed stamped envelope, and a $15 fee for a certified copy, plus $6 for each extra copy, or a $10 payment for non-certified copies. The payment is to be made by check or money order payable to “Treasurer - State of Maine".

Penobscot County Probate Court Records

In Penobscot County, Maine, the probate court has jurisdiction over probate proceedings. Probate proceedings may also be removed or transferred to the District or Superior Court. The probate court is in charge of matters such as the administration of estate, trusts, guardianship, conservatorship, adoptions, legal change of name, and protective proceedings. The probate court's register is responsible for all records and papers filed with the court. Members of the public may have remote access to all public probate records after private/sensitive information has been redacted from the records. All documents and records relating to adoption proceedings are completely private records.

Penobscot County Probate Court
97 Hammond Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 942-8763
Fax: (207) 561-6184
Email: rstupak@penobscot-county.net.

Penobscot County Property Records

The Register of Deeds maintains Penobscot County property records. These records may be retrieved online using the Search Registry Records system. With this tool, residents of Penobscot County can search for property records by name, address, instrument type, town, and registry date. Property records filed in this system include liens, deeds, assignments, discharges, bills of sale, declarations of trust, leases, mortgages, easements, power of attorney, and purchase and sale contracts.

Penobscot County Court Records Online

An alternate means to get court records online may be third-party aggregate websites. Third-party court records websites are privately owned and are not affiliated with government agencies. They offer search services for minimal fees to access their wealth of data. The information contained on third-party websites is so vast that it includes provisions to look up records in other counties and states. To search Mainecourt.us, use the subject’s name, general address, or case number. However, a major drawback is that records retrieved from third-party sites can be outdated, inaccurate, or incomplete. Also, the records are not as comprehensive as those from the actual source, the courthouse.