Waldo County Court Records

The courts in Waldo County—for example, the Waldo County Superior Court—hear a broad range of civil and criminal cases brought to the local judicial system. These cases engender the creation and storage of Waldo County court records, which are necessary for promoting governmental transparency and accountability and protecting individual privacy interests, among other purposes.

According to M.R.E.C.S. 2(A)(17)(a), court records encompass all items (documents, files, forms, information) that a court maintains about a case or proceeding. These include briefs, motions, opinions, decrees, judgments, registries of actions, exhibits, and docket sheets. Transcripts of court proceedings are not considered part of the court records.

Are Court Records Public in Waldo County?

Yes. Court records are presumed open for general review in Waldo County. However, rather than the Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA), a set of policies effected by the Maine Judicial Branch—like the Maine Rules of Electronic Court Systems (M.R.E.C.S.) and Administrative Order JB-20-03—govern this right of access.

Notwithstanding, public access to the Waldo County court records does not imply total access. Certain documents are considered nonpublic or confidential and can only be reviewed by legally authorized entities (such as the parties to a specific case and their representatives) or in situations deemed justifiable by law. These confidential records include:

• Sealed or impounded records
• Personally identifying information, such as telephone numbers, financial account numbers or statements, residential addresses, and personal email addresses
• Most juvenile case records
• Mental health civil commitment proceedings
• Sterilization proceedings
• Adoption records

Waldo County Court Records Search

Generally, a Waldo court records search can be achieved through the following means:

• Stopping by the clerk of the court's office at the courthouse where a case was adjudicated
• Accessing electronic case search systems provided by the Maine Judicial Branch
• Sending a search request to the Maine Judicial Branch Service Center
• Accessing web-based public records databases offered by independent companies

Waldo County Courts

The following courts are part of the judicial system in Waldo County, Maine:

Waldo County Superior Court
Waldo Judicial Center
11 Market Street
Belfast, ME 04915
Phone: (207) 338-3107

Belfast District Court
Waldo Judicial Center
11 Market Street
Belfast, ME 04915
Phone: (207) 338-3107

Waldo County Probate Court
103 Church Street
P.O. Box 323
Belfast, ME 04915
Phone: (207) 338-2780

Waldo County Criminal and Civil Records

Members of the public who wish to obtain Waldo County criminal and civil records have these options:

An In-Person Search: An individual can visit any of the above court locations to submit a records request at the clerk's office. Court staff will require a litigant's name, case type, or docket (case) number to locate and retrieve desired records. Moreover, each requester will be liable to pay established fees to obtain a copy of a court record. These fees can be reviewed in the following documents:

• The Administrative Order JB-05-26 (A. 2-24) (for requests to the Waldo Superior and Belfast District Courts), and
• The Court Filing Fee Schedule (for requests to the Probate Court)

Generally, regular copies cost $2 for the first page and $1 for each additional page in the Waldo Superior and Belfast District Courts. Meanwhile, they cost $1 per page in the Probate Court.

A Remote Inquiry: An in-person search is only effective if the requester knows the presiding court of a particular case. Where this tribunal is unknown, parties can send a Records Search Request to the Judicial Branch Service Center. This entails completing the Records Search Request Form (instructions contained therein) and sending the application, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, to the mailing address indicated on the form.

The Center can be reached at (207) 753-2901 for copy inquiries.

An Online Search: Interested persons can access the re:SearchMaine platform for public court records searches. A user registration is required, but there is no fee to register or search the portal.

While case parties can download their case documents, other members of the public only have access to records that the courts release remotely. For other electronic court documents, the inquirer may visit a courthouse that supports eFiling.

Waldo criminal records (in this context, the criminal court case records) are not currently accessible through the re:SearchMaine system. An individual must submit a formal inquiry to a clerk of the court's office or the Judicial Branch Service Center. Note that these Waldo County criminal records are not identical to the criminal history files maintained by the Maine State Police's State Bureau of Identification (SBI). The SBI's criminal history records are a collection of arrest and prosecutorial information that the Bureau receives from criminal justice agencies.

Waldo County Marriage Records

Records of marriage events occurring in Maine are maintained and disseminated by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Therefore, to obtain marriage records in Waldo County, a person can complete an Application for a Vital Record (filling out the necessary sections) and submit it via mail to the address listed on the form. Requesters can also apply over the phone or online through the DRVS vendor.

However, Maine is a closed record state. Therefore, only persons authorized by law can receive Waldo County marriage records under 50 years old. These include the registrant, their descendants, spouse or registered domestic partner, authorized representative, and genealogists possessing a Maine CDC Data, Research, and Vital Statistics researcher card. While marriage records aged 50 years or older are deemed public records, the DRVS only releases information (non-certified copies) to requesters.

Each certified copy of a Waldo County marriage certificate ordered through the DRVS costs $15, plus $6 for each extra copy in the same order. A non-certified copy costs $10 and bears the stamp "Not for Legal Purposes".

A Waldo County marriage records request can also be made to the town or city clerk's office in the municipality where the marriage license was issued.

Waldo County Divorce Records

Divorce proceedings are heard in the Family Division of the Belfast District Court in Waldo County. Members of the public can request divorce case records (including divorce decrees) at the district courthouse, via a mail-in application to the Judicial Branch Service Center, or via the re:SearchMaine platform (for remote case searches and electronically available records).

Waldo County Birth Records

Waldo County birth records can be retrieved from the Maine Data, Research, and Vital Statistics or a town/city clerk's office. These records are useful for establishing one's nationality, age, and parentage. However, there are certain statutory restrictions placed on their accessibility (22 M.R.S. § 2706):

• Birth records less than 75 years old are considered confidential. They are only releasable to authorized persons, such as the individual named on the record and their spouse, legal guardian, or descendants.
• Birth records 75 years or older are public; anyone can request an informational copy.

Any inquiry to a vital records office, including the Waldo County vital records offices in cities and towns, for a birth record is made via a written application. Those querying the DRVS can submit a completed Application for a Vital Record by mail or apply through the agency's private vendor. Meanwhile, those querying a city or town clerk's office may find relevant forms on the office's website.

Applicants will also need to provide acceptable identification (driver's license, passport, etc.). They may also need to demonstrate their direct and legitimate interest in a record, such as showing proof of lineage, evidence of registration of domestic partnership, a valid DRVS-issued genealogical researcher identification card, or other supporting documentation.

Generally, the first certified copy of a Waldo County birth certificate costs $15, plus a $6 fee for each additional copy ordered simultaneously. Meanwhile, each non-certified copy costs $10.

Waldo County Death Records

Waldo County death records are disseminated in the same manner as other Waldo County vital records, such as birth and marriage records (see above). These documents can be requested from the Maine Data, Research, and Vital Statistics office or a town or city clerk's office. However, only legally authorized parties can view or obtain death records below 25 years old. Everyone else can request death records beyond the 25-year timeline, but only non-certified versions will be provided.

Death records are commonly used for settling estates, claiming pensions, claiming life insurance benefits, and other legal purposes.

Waldo County Probate Court Records

The Waldo County Probate Court adjudicates several matters, including estate administration for missing and deceased persons, guardianships for minors and incapacitated adults, legal name changes, trust proceedings, and adoptions. To obtain records maintained by this court, individuals can stop by the courthouse on 103 Church Street. Belfast, during normal business hours. They can also access the re:SearchMaine database to conduct case searches for free. A $1 per page copy fee and a $5 certification fee typically apply when requesting paper copies of records at the courthouse.

Waldo County Property Records

Property records detail important information about real estate within a particular region, including its taxation, ownership, characteristics/features, and encumbrances.

One public office to approach when looking into land records in Waldo County is the Registry of Deeds (the county recorder's office), which is located at 39 A Spring Street, Belfast, ME 04915 and can be contacted at (207) 338-1710.

Inquirers can also access the Registry's online land records search tool to find deeds, liens, discharges, mortgages, assignments, and more. The system can be searched with a last name, instrument number, book/page number, and other parameters.

Fees apply to obtain copies of records from the Registry of Deeds. For example, the agency charges $1 per page, $5 per plan, and $2 per page faxed. Other relevant fees are indicated in the Filing and Copying Fee Schedule, accessible on the Registry's website.

Another place where a member of the public can find Waldo property records is at a city or town assessor's office. These offices are responsible for the valuation of taxable property within their respective municipalities and maintain related records.

Waldo County Court Records Online

Waldo court records, although generated within the court system, are available through third-party websites like Mainecourtrecords.us. These sites are operated by private companies that aggregate records from courts in Waldo and provide searchable databases for looking up case information. These websites may also supply access to other Waldo County public records, such as the Waldo arrest records and property information, as well as public records from different U.S. regions (states, counties, municipalities). However, users may be asked to subscribe or pay a fee for detailed information.