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 Numbers	Rule Set Adopted or Amended	Rule Nos. Adopted or Amended	Subject	Effective Date
2021 Me. Rules 03	Civil	76G(c); 80B(l); 80C(l)	Discretion of court to determine not to hear oral arguments in administrative appeals	3/16/21
No number	Electronic Court Records	n/a	Accessibility of pleadings entered into pilot program of Odyssey case management system	3/1/2021-until further order of the court
2021 Me. Rules 02	Electronic Court Records	2(A); 4(A)	Definition of "accept" or "acceptance"; time of entry of document into electronic case file; time of access by public of documents entered into file	3/15/2021
2021 Me. Rules 01	Civil	89(c)	Practice of law by out-of-state attorneys who volunteer with legal services organizations	1/22/2021
2020 Me. Rules 07	Civil	30(h); 31(d)	Depositions for use in foreign jurisdictions	12/16/2020
2020 Me. Rules 06	Electronic Court Systems	1(A); 2(A)(14), (17); 4(A); 31(A), (C); 33(B), (C) (and (C) through (G) redesignated); 34(B)(2); 35(B); 37(D)	Applicability of rules to conventional filers in courts using electronic filing; date of accessibility of documents to public; exemptions from requirement to file electronically; technical amendments.	12/14/20
2020 Me. Rules 05	Civil	130, 131, 133, 134, 138-140	Electronic filing in the Business and Consumer Docket	11/30/20
2020 Me. Rules 04	Bar	Preamble & terminology; 1	Executive Director of Board of Overseers	10/26/20
2020 Me. Rules 03	Electronic Court Systems	Entire set	Access to electronic court records; electronic filing and service of documents	8/21/20

Procedural Rules

(Updated March 16, 2021)

• Maine Rules of Civil Procedure:
  • Rules only--no advisory notes (March 2021)
  • Rules complete with advisory notes (March 2021)

• Maine Rules of Unified Criminal Procedure
  • Rules only--no advisory notes (May 2017)
  • Rules complete with advisory notes (May 2017)

• Maine Rules of Electronic Court Systems (March 2021)
  See also temporary standing order (Effective until further order of the court)

• Maine Rules of Evidence
  • Rules only--no advisory notes (June 2018)
  • Rules complete with advisory notes (June 2018)

• Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure
  • Rules only--no advisory notes (June 2019)
  • Rules complete with advisory notes (June 2019)

• Maine Rules of Probate Procedure (July 2019)
  
  
• Maine Rules of Small Claims Procedure (June 2007)

Rules Governing Judges, Lawyers, and Guardians ad Litem

(Updated October 26, 2020)

• Rules governing judges:
  • Maine Code of Judicial Conduct only (no advisory notes) (September 2017)
  • Maine Code of Judicial Conduct complete with advisory notes (September 2017)
  • Maine Rules of the Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability (September 2020)

• Rules governing lawyers:
  • Maine Rules of Professional Conduct (ethical rules):
    • Rules only--no advisory notes (June 2019)
    • Rules complete with advisory notes (June 2019)
  • Maine Bar Rules:
  • Rules only--no advisory notes (October 2020)
  • Rules complete with advisory notes (October 2020)
  • Other rules governing lawyers:
  • Maine Bar Admission Rules (May 2017)
  • Rules for the Maine Assistance Program for Lawyers (November 2014)
  • Rules for Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (April 2019)

• Rules governing guardians ad litem:
  • Rules only--no advisory notes (August 2019)
  • Rules complete with advisory notes (August 2019)
    
    
• Maine Civil Legal Services Fund Commission (September 2019)

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)
  
  
• A Guide for Appeals to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court (August 2009). Note: This guide is based on the former rules, applicable to appeals filed before September 1, 2017.

• Maine Law Review: Uniform Maine Citations (2017) -- Uniform Maine Citations, 2016-2017 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.