Maine Judicial Branch Response to Covid-19
Starting in March 2020, the Maine Judicial Branch issued a series of Pandemic Management Orders (PMOs) and Post-Pandemic Management Orders (PPMOs) to address health and safety concerns raised by the COVID-19 pandemic and to make necessary changes to court practices, processes, and procedures.
As the circumstances of the pandemic and the needs of the courts changed, the Judicial Branch revised and rescinded several of the PMOs and PPMOs. Because many of the measures implemented through the orders proved effective, however, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court retained some and incorporated others into administrative orders.
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Pandemic Orders
Emergency Order and Notice from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court (PMO-SJC-1)
Issued March 30, 2020
Revised April 14, 2020
Revised April 22, 2020
Revised May 5, 2020
Revised May 13, 2020
Revised May 28, 2020
Revised October 8, 2020
Revised January 12, 2021
Revised May 6, 2021
Rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Pandemic Management Order from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Consolidating, Ratifying, and Superseding the Previous Orders (PMO-SJC-2)
Issued March 30, 2020
Revised May 13, 2020
Revised May 20, 2020
Revised June 5, 2020
Revised December 14, 2020
Revised March 30, 2023
PMO-SJC-2(B) rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Emergency Rule from the Supreme Judicial Court for Filings of Documents in Priority Case Types (PMO-SJC-3)
Issued March 30, 2020
Revised May 5, 2020
Replaced September 3, 2020
Revised September 23, 2020
Revised September 28, 2020
Notice of Opportunity for Comment (November 24, 2020) (Proposed Draft)
Revised December 14, 2020
Revised May 27, 2021
Revised March, 30, 2023
Phased Management Plan
Issued May 27, 2020
Issued July 2, 2020
Issued July 31, 2020
Issued August 28, 2020
Issued November 3, 2020
Issued February 17, 2021
Issued March 15, 2021
Issued May 6, 2021
Final Addendum June 1, 2021
Visitor Restrictions
Issued April 8, 2020
Revised May 27, 2020
Revised November 3, 2020
Order Regarding Submission of Documents by Email in Protection from Abuse and Protection from Harassment Cases (PMO-SJC-3A)
Notice of Opportunity for Comment (November 24, 2020) (Proposed Draft)
Issued December 14, 2020
Revised June 1, 2021
Order Regarding the Maine Bar Examination (PMO-SJC-4)
Issued April 15, 2020
Revised June 4, 2020
Revised July 16, 2020
Revised December 10, 2020
Revised April 26, 2021
Order Regarding Petitions Concerning Control of Notifiable Diseases and Conditions (PMO-SJC-5)
Issued April 17, 2020
Rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Emergency Rules for Forcible Entry and Detainer (Eviction) Cases (PMO-SJC-6)
Issued July 21, 2020
Revised July 23, 2020
Revised November 3, 2020
Revised December 22, 2020
Revised February 17, 2021
Revised April 1, 2021
Revised June 1, 2021
Order Regarding Trial Court Remote Proceedings and Public Access (PMO-SJC-7)
Issued July 29, 2020
Revised September 4, 2020
Revised November 3, 2020
Revised December 14, 2020
Revised February 17, 2021
Rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Emergency Rules on Waiver of Initial Appearances (PMO-SJC-8)
Issued September 23, 2020
Notice of Opportunity for Comment (November 24, 2020) (Proposed Draft)
Revised December 14, 2020
Revised March 30, 2023
Revised June 21, 2023
Emergency Order and Notice from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Concerning Access to State Courthouses (PMO-SJC-9)
Issued December 22, 2020
Revised April 2, 2021
Revised April 30, 2021
Rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Order Regarding Remote Child Protective Custody Proceedings (PMO-SJC-10)
Issued February 17, 2021
Revised February 18, 2021
Rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Order Extending Grace Period for Attorneys' MCLE Compliance (PMO-SJC-11)
Issued February 23, 2021
Rescinded June 1, 2021 by PPMO-SJC-1
Order Creating a Pilot Project for Stand-Alone Small Claims Mediation (PMO-SJC-12)
Issued March 15, 2021
Revised May 6, 2021
Maine Trial Court Chiefs Consolidating, Ratifying and Superseding Previous Orders (PMO-TC-1)
Issued March 30, 2020
Revised April 14, 2020
Revised May 5, 2020
Revised June 4, 2020
Revised February 17, 2021
District Court Order to Extend the Guardian ad Litem Continuing Professional Education Reporting Deadline (PMO-DC-1)
Post-Pandemic Management Order (PPMO-SJC-1); Administrative Order and Notice from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Issued June 1, 2021
Issued June 28, 2021
Issued July 1, 2021
Issued August 16, 2021
Issued March 11, 2022
Issued May 4, 2022
Post-Pandemic Management Order (PPMO-SJC-2); Order Regarding Trial Court Remote Proceedings
Administrative Order from the Maine Trial Court Chiefs Regarding Previous Pandemic Management Orders (PPMO-TC-1); Order Regarding Trial Court Remote Proceedings
Selected Administrative Orders and Rules
AO JB-25-03 (Recission of Pandemic Management Orders and Post-Pandemic Management Order)
AO JB-25-02 (Criminal Rule Clarification)
AO JB-23-01 (Withdrawal of Administrative Orders JB-05-12, JB-15-04, JB-21-01, and JB-21-02)
AO JB-23-02 (Order Regarding Health Requirements for Courthouse Entry) (withdrawn by AO JB-24-01)
AO JB-05-04 (A. 3-23) (Hours of Operation)
AO JB-05-16 (A. 4-23) (Use of Cellular Phones, Pagers, Computers, and Other Electronic Devices in Courthouses)
AO JB-05-11 (A. 3-23) (Access to Clerks' Offices, Computer Terminals, and Court Files
AO JB-21-06 (A. 3-25) Order Regarding Filing Using ShareFile
AO JB-21-05 Order Regarding Trial Court Remote Proceedings and Public Access
AO JB-20-04 (Application of the Maine Rules for Electronic Court Systems (RECS) to Guide & File Users)
MRECS (effective December 14, 2020)
Press Releases & Notices
03-04-22: Maine Judicial Branch Removes Mask Requirement for Most Courthouse Areas (Press Release)
01-10-22: Judicial Branch Reminds Visitors to Check the "Active Alerts" Link on Its Website Before Traveling to a Courthouse (Press Release)
10-01-21: Maine Judicial Branch Announces Expansion of Remote Court Proceedings (Press Release)
08-17-21: Maine Judicial Branch Reinstates Face Mask Requirement for All Courthouse Visitors (Press Release)
07-13-21: Maine Trial Courts Rescind Previously Issued Pandemic Management Order (Press Release)
07-01-21: Maine Judicial Branch Ends Face Mask Requirement for Fully Vaccinated Courthouse Visitors (Press Release)
06-01-21: Maine Judicial Branch rescinds Phased Management Plan and issues new Post-Pandemic Orders (Press Release)
05-27-21: Maine Judicial Branch limits email case filing as pandemic restrictions begin to ease (Press Release)
05-03-21: Maine Judicial Branch announces invitation for input in post-COVID planning (Press Release)
05-03-21: Temperature checks no longer required effective May 17, 2021 (Press Release)
02-22-21: Revised screening procedures for visitors who traveled out of state (Press Release)
01-12-21: Maine Judicial Branch ensures social distancing by revising court procedures for arraignments (Press Release)
01-12-21: Biddeford District Court and York County Superior Court are closed today due to COVID-19 exposure (Press Release)
12-22-20: Maine Judicial Branch adds temperature checks to COVID-19 courthouse safety screenings; extends the date for COVID-19 FED procedures to March 31, 2021 (Press Release)
12-21-20: Courthouse public hours reduced in response to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency (Press Release)
12-15-20: Judicial Branch issues new and revised Pandemic Management Orders, modifications to the Rules of Electronic Court Systems and accompanying Administrative Order (Press Release)
12-14-20: Oxford County courthouse closed today due to COVID-19 exposure (Press Release)
11-24-20: Notice of Opportunity for Comment on proposed revisions to Pandemic Management Order PMO-SJC-8 (Notice)
11-24-20: Notice of Opportunity for Comment on proposed revisions to Pandemic Management Orders PMO-SJC-3 and PMO-SJC-3A (Notice)
11-23-20: Capital Judicial Center closed Nov. 24th and Nov. 25th (Press Release)
11-03-20: Supreme Judicial Court issues a revised Phased Management Plan, two Pandemic Management Orders, and a statement from Acting Chief Justice Mead (Press Release) (Statement)
10-08-20: Supreme Judicial Court issues revision to PMO-SJC-1
09-28-20: Supreme Judicial Court issues revision to PMO-SJC-3
09-23-20: Judicial Branch announces new and revised Pandemic Management Orders (Press Release)
09-04-20: Supreme Judicial Court issues revision to PMO-SJC-7
09-03-20: Supreme Judicial Court issues replacement to PMO-SJC-3
08-28-20: Revision to COVID-19 Phased Management Plan released
08-28-20: Rumford District Court closed due to possible COVID-19 exposure (Press Release)
08-19-20: Millinocket District Court closed Wednesday, August 19 (Press Release)