§ 4 §152 — District Court; civil jurisdiction

The District Court has jurisdiction in the following civil matters:
1.
Jurisdiction exercised by trial justices and municipal courts.
The civil jurisdiction exercised by all trial justices and municipal courts in the State on September 16, 1961;
2.
Civil actions for money damages.
Original jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the Superior Court, of all civil actions when no equitable relief is demanded, except those actions for which exclusive jurisdiction is vested in the Superior Court by statute;
3.
Civil actions to enforce liens.
Original jurisdiction, concurrent with the Superior Court, of all civil actions to enforce liens under Title 10, chapter 603 and under Title 35‑A, section 706, and the court shall determine the amount pursuant to Title 10, section 3258;
4.
Exclusive jurisdiction.
Original jurisdiction, not concurrent with that of the Superior Court, of mental health commitment hearings under Title 34‑B, chapter 3, subchapter 4, habitual truancy actions under Title 20‑A, chapters 119 and 211 under which equitable relief may be granted and small claims actions under Title 14, chapter 738;
5.
Other actions.
Original jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the Superior Court, of the following types of actions, and in these actions the District Court may grant equitable relief:
5-A.
Actions involving minors under Title 18-C.
Except as provided in paragraph C, exclusive, continuing jurisdiction of actions for guardianship, adoption, change of name or other matters involving custody or other parental rights with respect to a minor child brought under Title 18‑C under the following circumstances: if proceedings under the Maine Juvenile Code brought against the minor child are pending in the District Court; if proceedings involving custody or other parental rights with respect to the minor child, including but not limited to adoption, divorce, parental rights and responsibilities, grandparents' rights, protective custody, change of name, guardianship, parentage or termination of parental rights, are pending in the District Court; or if the minor child is or was the subject of an order issued by the District Court terminating parental rights, appointing a guardian, including a permanency, emergency or interim guardian, awarding parental rights to a 3rd party or granting an adoption. This subsection does not apply if the only proceedings pending in the District Court involving custody or other parental rights with respect to the minor child are protection from abuse or protection from harassment proceedings unless one of the other grounds for exclusive, continuing jurisdiction are met under this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, a proceeding is pending if a complaint, petition or post-judgment motion has been filed and the final judgment or final order on that complaint, petition or post-judgment motion has not yet been issued.
6.
Environmental laws.
6-A.
Environmental laws.
Original jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the Superior Court, to grant equitable relief and impose penalties in proceedings involving alleged violations of a local environmental ordinance or regulation or a state environmental law or rule, including, but not limited to, the following:
7.
Air quality laws.
8.
Consent to minor's abortion.
Original jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the Probate Court, to grant equitable relief in proceedings brought under Title 22, section 1597‑A;
9.
Licensing jurisdiction.
Except as provided in Title 5, section 10004; Title 8, section 279‑B; Title 10, section 8003; Title 20‑A, sections 10712 and 10713; Title 29‑A; Title 32, chapters 2‑B, 114 and 135; and Title 35‑A, section 3132, exclusive jurisdiction upon complaint of an agency or, if the licensing agency fails or refuses to act within a reasonable time, upon complaint of the Attorney General to revoke or suspend licenses issued by the agency. The District Court has original jurisdiction upon complaint of a licensing agency to determine whether renewal or reissuance of a license of that agency may be refused. The District Court has original concurrent jurisdiction to grant equitable relief in proceedings initiated by an agency or the Department of the Attorney General alleging any violation of a license or licensing laws or rules.
10.
Appellate jurisdiction.
11.
Actions for divorce, separation or annulment.
Original jurisdiction, not concurrent with the Superior Court, of actions for divorce, annulment of marriage or judicial separation and proceedings under Title 19‑A, except as otherwise specifically provided.
12.
Property matters between spouses.
Original jurisdiction, not concurrent with the Superior Court, of actions to hear and determine property matters between spouses as provided in Title 19‑A, section 806 and to make all necessary orders and decrees relating to these matters, to issue all necessary process to enforce the orders and decrees and to cause all the orders and decrees to be enforced. This subsection does not apply to or affect actions initiated in the Superior Court before the effective date of this subsection;
13.
Desertion and nonsupport.
Jurisdiction over complaints for desertion and nonsupport or nonsupport of dependents in the district where either the spouse, the dependent or the respondent resides;
14.
Civil violations.
Jurisdiction over all civil violations, as provided in Title 17‑A, section 9, and traffic infractions;
15.
Restoration of right to possess firearms.
Exclusive jurisdiction to conduct de novo review of a determination by the Commissioner of Public Safety pursuant to Title 15, section 393, subsection 4‑A; and
16.
At-risk noncitizen children; petitions and motions.
Jurisdiction over petitions and motions regarding the protection, well-being, care and custody of unmarried noncitizens under 21 years of age pursuant to Title 19‑A, section 1511 and Title 22, chapter 1071, subchapter 17.

Legislative History

PL 1965, c. 236 (AMD). PL 1969, c. 587 (AMD). PL 1971, c. 38 (AMD). PL 1971, c. 117, §1 (AMD). PL 1971, c. 175 (AMD). PL 1971, c. 544, §6 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 54, §1 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 430, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 552, §1 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 770, §11 (AMD). PL 1977, c. 401, §1 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 127, §11 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 540, §§4,5 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 663, §7 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 700, §1 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 470, §A4 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 585, §1 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 645, §1 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 29, §1 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 275 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 447, §1 (RPR). PL 1983, c. 583, §1 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 796, §1 (RPR). PL 1985, c. 162, §1 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 293, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 563, §1 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 746, §2 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 192, §1 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 419, §1 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 737, §§C2,C106 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C1,C8,C10 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 287, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 311, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 392, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 415, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 573, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 878, §§A6,7 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 919, §§1,2,18 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 377, §1 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 349, §3 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 65, §A2 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 65, §§A153,C15 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 694, §§D2,3 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 694, §E2 (AFF). PL 1999, c. 547, §§A1,B5,6 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 547, §B80 (AFF). PL 1999, c. 731, §ZZZ4 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 731, §ZZZ42 (AFF). PL 1999, c. 778, §1 (AMD). RR 2001, c. 2, §A2 (COR). PL 2001, c. 229, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 471, §A1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 471, §A2 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV). PL 2005, c. 65, §C1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 240, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 670, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 112, Pt. B, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 80, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 120, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 614, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 682, §38 (REV). PL 2013, c. 21, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 460, §1 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. C, §3 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. F, §1 (AFF). PL 2019, c. 366, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF). PL 2023, c. 63, §1 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 347, §1 (AMD).