Home → Legal Help & Guides
Legal Help & Guides
Lawyers & Legal Help
Legal Aid Resources in Maine
A list of organizations in Maine that offer legal services. Most agencies offer services for low income, the elderly, or people with disabilities.
MSBA Lawyer Referral Service
The Maine State Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service charges a $35 administrative fee, and referred attorneys will not charge for the first half-hour of a consultation. After the first half-hour, standard legal fees may apply. Everyone is eligible for this service.
Call (800) 860-1460 or mainebar.community.lawyer/go/1.
Courthouse Assistance Projects (CHAP)
Volunteer Family Law attorneys provide free 30 minute consultations to people in need of assistance with divorce, child custody, and related matters. Assistance with Protection from Abuse cases is available after referral from a DV resource center. Multiple appointments are available as needed. CHAP clinics currently operate remotely on Wednesday through Friday afternoons. Statewide referrals.
Email: [email protected].
VLP intake phone: 1-800-442-4293 (Monday afternoons or Friday mornings).
Learn more: www.vlp.org/about/#family.
Maine Commission on Public Defense Services
Provides lawyers to low-income people in criminal cases, juvenile cases, emancipation cases, child protection cases, and involuntary commitment cases. For more information: https://www.maine.gov/pds/.
Maine Law
Uniform Maine Citations
Originally prepared by Michael D. Seitzinger and Charles K. Leadbetter, members of the Maine Bar, Uniform Maine Citations provides updated rules for the citation of Maine legal authorities, including constitutional provisions, statutory and legislative materials, judicial decisions, court rules, treatises, periodicals, and miscellaneous Maine authorities.
digitalcommons.mainelaw.maine.edu/uniform-maine-citations
Sources of Maine Law
- Maine Constitution
- Laws of the State of Maine (Statutes)
- Maine Statute Search: Find a law by keyword or title/section number
- Maine Legislative Session Information: Find Bill Text and Status
- Maine Rules of Civil and Appellate Procedure
- Rules of Maine State Government Agencies
Consumer Protection
Guides & Publications
The Judicial Branch has published a number of guides and publications for non-attorneys that outline a person's rights, responsibilities, and court process, as well as provide steps on how to file various types of cases.
See all guides and publications
Libraries
Ask a Law Librarian
Reference librarians at the Maine State Law and Legislative Library will research and respond via email to requests that can be answered briefly and are of a legal, legislative, or governmental nature.
Maine State Law and Legislative Library
The Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library in Augusta, a division of the Maine Legislature, is the state's public law library. The library is staffed full-time, provides reference services over the phone and via email, and mails materials to Maine residents.
Interested in borrowing a book?
Contact the library directly to ask to borrow materials, or place a request through your local library.
- Books can be delivered in one of three ways:
- In-person pickup.
- At your local library, if you place your request through your local library.
- By mail.
The library also offers legal ebooks which can be read remotely from a desktop computer, tablet, or smart phone. Maine residents with proof of address can sign up to read any of the 900+ titles published by LexisNexis, the American Bar Association, and West Academic. For more information, contact the library at (207) 287-1600.
The Nathan and Henry B. Cleaves Law Library
The Nathan and Henry B. Cleaves Law Library provides legal research and assistance to all lawyers, to the courts and to the public. The library strives to maintain a complete and up-to-date collection of materials in an appropriate physical setting, and to deliver competent, professional research assistance that allows patrons to make full use of the Library's resources.
Penobscot County Law Library
The Penobscot County Law Library at the Penobscot Judicial Center in Bangor has patron access to Westlaw, a comprehensive electronic research service. Hardbound materials include the Maine Revised Statutes, the Maine Reporter, and several Maine-specific treatises. These are for reference only and are not to be taken from the library. The Penobscot County Law Library is staffed part-time.
Donald L. Garbrecht Law Library
The Donald L. Garbrecht Law Library supports the research and educational needs of the students, faculty and staff at the University of Maine School of Law. The Library provides assistance to the state's judiciary, members of the bar, the legal community, and the general public.
Other Resources
- Legal Services Food Hub (Free service that connects eligible farmers, food entrepreneurs, and food-related organizations to volunteer attorneys).
- Stateside Legal (Self-help tools for veterans, service members, and their families).