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SJC invites comments on proposed amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure on minors as parties in protection-from-abuse matters. Comments due by April 2, 2026
Date: 3/12/2026
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court invites comments on proposed amendments to Rules 100 and 101 of the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure that would (1) clarify that of the Family Division rules only Rule 129, regarding qualified residential treatment programs, applies to child protection matters and (2) permit a minor to commence and participate in a protection-from-abuse matter without a guardian, next friend, guardian ad litem, or other representative.
The proposed amendments are available at the links below.
Any comments must be filed with the Executive Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Comments must be in writing, either mailed to the address below or in an email sent to lawcourt.clerk@courts.maine.gov. If the comments are in an attachment to the email, the attachment must be a document in native (text-based and not scanned) portable document format (.pdf). The Clerk's Office will acknowledge receipt of the email via reply email.
All comments must contain (1) the name and mailing address of the individual submitting the comments and (2) the name, mailing address, and primary telephone number of the organization (if any) on whose behalf the comments are submitted. An individual need not be an attorney to submit comments individually or on behalf of an organization.
Comments are public documents and may be posted on the Courts website.
Dated: March 12, 2026
Matthew Pollack
Executive Clerk
Maine Supreme Judicial Court
205 Newbury Street Room 139
Portland, Maine 04101
(207) 822-4146