Title 19-A, Title 19-A

1. Court authority to order mediation. The court may, in any case under this Title, at any time refer the parties to mediation on any issue. 2. Required mediation. Except as provided in paragraph B, prior to a contested hearing under chapter 27, chapter 29, chapter 55, chapter 61…

1. Appointment of referee. The court may appoint a referee in any proceeding for paternity, divorce, judicial separation or modification of existing judgments brought under this Title: A. When the parties agree the case may be tried before a referee; or [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §…

The Family Law Advisory Commission, established in Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 52-A and referred to in this chapter as the "commission," is created for the purpose of conducting a continuing study of the family laws of Maine.

1. Membership. The commission is composed of 11 members appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. The members must have experience in practicing family law or be knowledgeable about family law. The membership of the commission must include: A. An active Superi…

Whenever it considers appropriate, the commission shall seek the advice of consultants or experts, including representatives of the legislative and executive branches of State Government, in fields related to its duties.

1. Examine, evaluate and recommend. It is the duty of the commission: A. To examine the sections of this Title that pertain to family law and to draft amendments to those sections as the commission considers advisable; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2…

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court shall notify all members of the time and place of the first meeting. At that time the commission shall organize, elect a chair, vice-chair and secretary-treasurer from its membership and adopt rules governing the administration of t…

The commission may accept federal funds on behalf of the State.

This chapter is known and may be cited as the "Uniform Premarital Agreement Act."

As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).] 1. Premarital agreement. "Premarital agreement" means an agreement between prospective spouses made …

A premarital agreement must be in writing and signed by both parties. It is enforceable without consideration.

Parties to a premarital agreement may contract with respect to: [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).] 1. Rights and obligations of parties. The rights and obligations of each of the parties in any of the property of either or both of them whenever …

A premarital agreement becomes effective upon the marriage of the parties.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, an effective premarital agreement is void 18 months after the parties to the agreement become parents or guardians of a minor. The premarital agreement is not void if, within the 18-month period, the parties sign a written amendment t…

After marriage, a premarital agreement may be amended or revoked only by a written agreement signed by the parties. The amended agreement or the revocation is enforceable without consideration.

1. Not enforceable. A premarital agreement is not enforceable if the party against whom enforcement is sought proves that: A. That party did not execute the agreement voluntarily; or [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).] B. The agreement was uncons…

If a marriage is determined to be void, an agreement that would otherwise have been a premarital agreement is enforceable only to the extent necessary to avoid an inequitable result.

A statute of limitations applicable to an action asserting a claim for relief under a premarital agreement is tolled during the marriage of the parties to the agreement. Equitable defenses limiting the time for enforcement, including laches and estoppel, are available to either p…

This Act must be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this Act among states enacting it.

All municipal clerks, the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and courts of this State have a duty and are legally required to construe the provisions of Maine's marriage laws in accordance with the following findings and purposes: [PL 2019, c. 340, §1 (AMD).] 1. Findings. The pe…

Marriage is the legally recognized union of 2 people. Gender-specific terms relating to the marital relationship or familial relationships must be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes throughout the law, whether in the context of statute, administrative or court rule, …

A marriage of a same-sex couple that is validly licensed and certified in another jurisdiction is recognized for all purposes under the laws of this State.

1. Place of recording. Residents of the State intending to be joined in marriage shall record notice of their intentions in the office of the clerk of the municipality in which at least one of them resides or with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. If only one of the partie…

1. Marriage license issued. After the filing of notice of intentions of marriage, except as otherwise provided, the clerk or the State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall deliver to the parties a marriage license specifying the time when the intentions were recorded. 2. Marriage …

1. Filing; enter notice. A person who believes that parties are about to contract marriage when either of them cannot lawfully do so may file a caution and the reasons for the caution in the office of the clerk where notice of their intentions is required to be filed or with the …

1. Copy. Every person authorized to unite persons in marriage shall make and keep a record of every marriage solemnized by that person in conformity with the forms and instructions prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics pursuant to Title 22, section 2701. 2. Return…

1. Persons authorized to solemnize marriages. The following may solemnize marriages in this State: A. If a resident of this State: (1) A justice or judge; (2) A lawyer admitted to the Maine Bar; or (5) A marriage officiant under Title 5, section 90‑G; [PL 2021, c. 651, Pt. B, §§4…

1. Contents of license. A marriage license must have conspicuously printed on it the following words: "The laws of Maine provide that only authorized persons may solemnize marriages in this State." 2. Completed license; ceremony performed. Each marriage license issued must be com…

A marriage, solemnized before any known inhabitant of the State professing to be a justice, judge, lawyer admitted to the Maine Bar or marriage officiant or an ordained or licensed minister of the gospel, is not void, nor is its validity affected by any want of jurisdiction or au…

A marriage solemnized among Quakers or Friends, in the form practiced in their meeting, or solemnized among members of the Baha'i faith according to the rules and principles of the Baha'i faith, is valid and not affected by this subchapter. The clerk or the keeper of the records …

1. Solemnization without authorization. A person who solemnizes a marriage when not authorized to do so under section 655 commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture not to exceed $100 for each offense may be adjudged. Forfeitures collected must be distributed to the municip…

In order to provide an official record of statements concerning marriages that have occurred in this State, the State Registrar of Vital Statistics must accept a registration of any marriage for which no record can be found in either the files of the State Registrar of Vital Stat…

1. Marriage out of State to evade law. When residents of this State, with intent to evade this section and to return and reside here, go into another state or country to have their marriage solemnized there and afterwards return and reside here, that marriage is void in this Stat…

The following marriages are void and dissolved without legal process: [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).] 1. Solemnized in State. A marriage prohibited in section 701, if solemnized in this State. 2. Final judgment.

1. Complaint; court order. When the validity of a marriage is doubted, either party may file a complaint for annulment. The court shall order the marriage annulled or affirmed according to the evidence. The court's order does not affect the rights of the defendant unless the defe…

If, after a marriage has been solemnized, the State Registrar of Vital Statistics determines that the parties are not eligible to be married because the age or other requirements provided in this chapter are not satisfied, the state registrar may file an action in District Court …

A married person, widow or widower of any age may own in the person's own right real and personal estate acquired by descent, gift or purchase.

A person having property is not deprived of any part of that property by marriage, and a person acquires no right to any property of that person's spouse. A married person may release to that person's spouse the right to control that person's property or any part of it and to dis…

A married person may receive the wages of that person's personal labor not performed for that person's own family, maintain an action for those wages in that person's own name and hold them in that person's own right against that person's spouse or any other person.

1. Liability for debts or torts. A married person is not liable for the debts of that person's spouse contracted before marriage nor for those contracted in the spouse's own name for any lawful purpose. A married person is not liable for that person's spouse's torts in which that…

A married person may prosecute and defend civil actions, either of tort or contract, in that person's own name without the joinder of that person's spouse, for the preservation and protection of that person's property and personal rights or for the redress of that person's injuri…

1. Civil action against spouse. A wife may bring a civil action against her husband for the recovery, conveyance, transfer, payment or delivery to her of any property, real or personal or both, exceeding $100 in value, standing in his name, or to which he has legal title, or that…

1. Grounds. 1-A. Jurisdiction. The District Court has jurisdiction to enter a separation decree: A. Upon the petition of a married person who lives apart or who desires to live apart from that person's spouse for a period in excess of 60 continuous days; or [PL 1997, c. 224, §2 (…

1. Issuance of preliminary injunction by the court; service; contents; effect. In all actions for judicial separation, the District Court shall issue a preliminary injunction order in the following manner. A. The preliminary injunction must bear the signature or facsimile signatu…

The court entering an order for divorce may make an order awarding parental rights and responsibilities with respect to a minor child of the parties in accordance with chapter 55.