Add List Legal Maine Alimony Forms For Free

Maine follows the "Income Shares Model," which means that a judge will determine support by calculating how much each parent spent on the child while living together as a family. This number is then divided ing to each parent's income to come up with a final support amount.

Maine law does not specify a specific age at which a child can decide where he or she will live. If the child is old enough to have a meaningful preference, the court can take their input into consideration.

If it has been 3 years or longer since the order was issued or modified, the court or hearing officer shall review the order without requiring proof or showing of a change of circumstances and shall modify the order if the amount of the child support award under the order differs from the amount that would be awarded ...

The court uses the lower amount in those cases. Very low income cases: If your annual gross income is below $16,800 (the lowest figure on the chart), then your support obligation is capped at 10% of your income. Sometimes courts increase this, based on what they think your potential earnings could be.

Maine's state principal courts are the District Court, where lesser criminal offenses, civil actions, and family law matters may be tried; the Superior Court, where almost all civil and criminal matters may be tried.

All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues and not afterwards, except actions on a judgment or decree of any court of record of the United States, or of any state, or of a justice of the peace in this State, and except as otherwise specially provided.

You can serve court papers on the other party by certified mail with restricted delivery in family cases (for example, divorce and parental rights and responsibilities cases), small claims, and in certain civil cases involving property when the person is outside the state.

General support is usually awarded to a spouse with substantially less income potential than the other spouse in order to maintain a certain standard of living. In most cases, courts will award general spousal support only when the marriage lasted longer than ten years.

There is no set formula used to calculate spousal support in Maine. Every case is assessed on its own merits, but there are generally three main court considerations: A statutory list of factors: the judge must consider several factors outlined in the Maine statutes, some of which are included in the next section.