Maine Divorce Forms & Papers

Divorce Papers > Maine Divorce Forms & Papers

Maine follows a no-fault divorce wherein irreconcilable differences can also be accepted as a reason for divorce. Before filing for divorce one should make sure that you fulfill all the residential requirements of the state and fill up the documents accurately. Divorce procedures can also be learned on line but you need to make sure that the website you are referring to is authentic. Maine divorce forms and papers can easily be downloaded from a good website. You can also consult a good lawyer if you are not very clear of the legal requirements and the procedure for a divorce. Most people opt for a Do It Yourself divorce because it is not very difficult to file a divorce once you know the residential requirements of the state and if you qualify for the same.

Residential requirements for divorce in Maine:

Either spouse must be a resident of Maine, or the marriage must have occurred in Maine. Otherwise, a person filing for divorce must be a resident of Maine for 6 months immediately prior to filing. The divorce may be filed for in the District Court; in the county where either spouse resides. However, the defendant spouse has the right to have the proceeding moved to Superior Court. [Maine Revised Statutes Annotated; Title 4, Section 155; and Title 19, Section 691]. For more information and instruction on how to apply for a divorce see our page.

Grounds for divorce in Maine:

The only no-fault ground for divorce in Maine is: Irreconcilable marital differences. [Maine Revised Statutes Annotated; Title 19, Section 691 (1)].

On the other hand, the ground for a fault based divorce includes: 1) impotence 2) adultery 3) cruelty or inhuman treatment 4) desertion for a continued period of 3 consecutive years 5) addicted to liquor or drugs 6) neglect or bluntly refuses to provide support 7) abusive treatment 8) mentally unstable or confined to a mental institution for at-least 7 years at a stretch before filing a divorce. (Maine Revised Statutes - Title 19 A - Sections: 902)

A person filing for a Do It Yourself divorce can either do an agreed divorce or a default divorce. The reason for the divorce is not considered for filing any of these divorce types.

An agreed divorce is when both the parties agree for the divorce. This type of divorce clarifies most of the things associated with a divorce and therefore is the most common among clients. The terms that the parties agree upon includes, child custody, property distribution and parental responsibilities. An agreed divorce is signed by both parties to ascertain their agreement for the divorce.

A default divorce on the other hand is not signed by both the parties. The entire process of divorce is carried by one of the spouses. The other spouse's consent on the other hand is taken by default. In a default divorce the spouse who files for divorce usually gets everything that is listed in the divorce papers and thereby not accepted by many.

Procedure to file a divorce in the state of Maine:

The procedure to file a divorce can be listed in a three step process. This includes:

Filing for divorce: While filing for divorce one should make sure that you meet the residential requirements of the state.
Notifying the spouse: The spouse should also notify your partner about you filing for divorce. The court would also send a notification to the spouse informing the same.
Attending the court hearing: The court hearing should be attended by both parties in order to nullify the divorce

USE THESE WORDS IN THE COURT DOCUMENTS FOR MAINE

Use these exact words, all in capital letters: STATE OF MAINE, COURT, COUNTY
Use these exact words, all in capital letters: COMPLAINT FOR DIVORCE
Use the word "Plaintiff". Be sure the "P" is capitalized.
Use the word "Defendant'. Be sure the "D" is capitalized.
Use these exact words, all in capital letters: JUDGMENT OF DIVORCE
Use the word "County" here.

For detailed divorce laws in Maine state, please see Maine Divorce Laws page.

In case of missing spouse wherein you are unable to trace the spouse, you can still file a divorce in the state of Maine. In this case you need to bear extra expenses on placing an advertisement in the news paper or via a different source.

Free Maine Divorce Forms for Download

Following divorce forms are free for download. Most of the forms are provided with instructions on how to fill the form. To download any of these divorce papers and forms just right click on the link and select "Save As...".

Maine Divorce Instructions

Maine Divorce Forms that both parties must sign

Forms & Documents

Maine Divorce Court Forms