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Court Rules
On this page:
- Recent rule amendments and orders regarding rules
- Procedural rules
- Rules governing judges, lawyers, and guardians ad litem
- Other guides
Recent Rule Amendments & Orders Regarding Rules
| Order Number | Rule Set Adopted or Amended | Rule Nos. Adopted or Amended | Subject | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Me. Rules 04 | Evidence | 902 | Authentication of certified electronic records or data | 11/1/26 |
| 2026 Me. Rules 03 | Criminal | 4A | Requirements for complaint for probable-cause determinations | 10/1/26 |
| 2026 Me. Rules 02 | Civil | 100, 101 | Scope of Family Division rules; minors as parties in protection-from-abuse matters | 6/1/26 |
| 2026 Me. Rules 01 | Electronic Court Systems | All rules except Rule 6 | Access to records except records in juvenile matters; electronic filing and service | 1/31/26 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 08 | Evidence | 804(b)(6) | Hearsay exception for statement offered against a party that wrongfully caused the declarant’s unavailability. | 10/14/25 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 07 | Bar | Preamble and Terminology; Rule 3 | Scope of "attorney regulation"; Board Clerk | 7/10/25 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 06 | Committee on Judicial Conduct; Judicial Disciplinary Proceedings | Order Establishing Committee on Judicial Conduct; Rules 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8 | Judicial discipline procedures; public access to report to SJC and proceedings in SJC; operations of committee | 6/25/25 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 05 | Electronic Court Systems (RECS) | 6 | Access to juvenile records | 6/13/25 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 04 | Electronic Court Systems (RECS) | 37 | Electronic signatures; documents to which rule applies; signatures of attorneys, parties, and non-parties; electronic oaths on charging instruments in criminal cases | 5/23/25 |
| None | Bar Admission | 11A | Statement of court's decision to not adopt proposed rule amendment regarding reciprocity in admissions by motion | None |
| 2025 Me. Rules 03 | Criminal | 3(b); 4(e)-(h) | Signature on complaint; warrant request outside of presence of court or justice of the peace | 5/1/2025 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 02 | Maine Assistance Program for Lawyers and Judges | 1 | Correction of citation of rule imposing assessments on members of Maine bar | 4/11/2025 |
| 2025 Me. Rules 01 | Bar Admission | 6(a) | Fees | 3/15/2025 |
Procedural Rules
(Updated September 29, 2026)
- Maine Rules of Civil Procedure:
- Rules only--no advisory notes (January 2026; as effective through May 31, 2026)
- Rules only--no advisory notes (as effective June 1, 2026)
- Rules complete with advisory notes
- See also Standing Order Regarding Motions for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in Family Matters (March 10, 2023)
- Maine Rules of Unified Criminal Procedure
- Rules only--no advisory notes (October 2026)
- Rules complete with advisory notes (October 2026)
- Maine Rules of Electronic Court Systems (January 2026) (as effective January 31, 2026)
- See also Temporary Standing Order and Administrative Order JB-20-03
- Maine Rules of Evidence
- Rules only--no advisory notes (June 2018)
- Rules complete with advisory notes (June 2018)
- See also amendment effective October 14, 2025
- Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure
- Rules only--no advisory notes (November 2024)
- Rules complete with advisory notes (November 2024)
- Maine Rules of Probate Procedure (July 2019)
- Maine Rules of Small Claims Procedure (November 2024)
Rules Governing Judges, Lawyers, and Guardians ad Litem
(Updated July 14, 2025)
- Rules governing judges:
- Maine Code of Judicial Conduct (ethical rules):
- Code only--no advisory notes (September 2024)
- Code complete with advisory notes (September 2024)
- Committee on Judicial Conduct:
- Maine Code of Judicial Conduct (ethical rules):
- Rules governing lawyers:
- Maine Rules of Professional Conduct (ethical rules):
- Rules only--no advisory notes (September 2023)
- Rules complete with advisory notes (September 2023)
- Maine Bar Rules:
- Rules only--no advisory notes (as amended July 2025)
- Rules complete with advisory notes (as amended July 2025)
- Other rules governing lawyers:
- Maine Bar Admission Rules (March 2025)
- Rules for the Maine Assistance Program for Lawyers and Judges (April 2025)
- Rules for Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (April 2019)
- Maine Rules of Professional Conduct (ethical rules):
- Rules governing guardians ad litem:
- Rules only--no advisory notes (March 2022)
- Rules complete with advisory notes (March 2022)
- Maine Civil Legal Services Fund Commission (January 2025)
Other Guides
- Checklist for Preparing, Filing, and Maintaining an Appeal Pursuant to the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure (September 2017)
- Appellate Practice Guide for use with The Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure (restyled, effective September 1, 2017) (September 2017)
- Maine Law Review: Uniform Maine Citations (2022) -- Uniform Maine Citations, 2022-2024 Edition, provides updated rules for the citation of Maine legal authorities, including judicial decisions, constitutional provisions, statutory and legislative materials, court rules, treatises, periodicals, and miscellaneous Maine authorities.