GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR FILING AND SERVICE

(A) Purpose and Applicability. These rules establish procedures governing the electronic and conventional filing and service of all documents and pleadings to and from all the courts using the EFS within the Maine Judicial 38 Branch. Upon implementation of electronic filing in each of the courts, electronic filing of all documents shall be mandatory in accordance with Rule 33 of these rules. These rules shall be construed liberally to promote the administration of justice. (B) Conditions of Electronic Filing. To have access to the EFS, each filer agrees to, and must: (1) Register for access to the EFS; (2) Comply with the registration conditions when using the EFS; and (3) Maintain one or more working email addresses at which the filer agrees to accept email notification and service from the EFS. (C) Forms. (1) If an applicable court-approved form exists and is available to the public, the parties must use it when the Maine Judicial Branch indicates on the court form that use of that form is required. If a filer does not use a form that is designated as required, the filer must include a brief explanation in a cover letter accompanying the submission that indicates why the existing form is not suitable. (2) For all court-approved forms that are not designated as required, the parties may use the court form or draft their own document incorporating all the information requested on the court form. (3) Court forms can be obtained from the clerk’s office, or on the Maine Judicial Branch website. There is a charge for some forms that must be obtained from the clerk’s office. Advisory Note – January 2026 Rule 31(C) is amended to require use of a court-approved form only when the court form is available to the public and has been designated by the Maine Judicial Branch as required. If a filer does not use a form that is designated as required, Rule 31(C)(1) provides that the filer must include a 39 brief explanation in a cover letter accompanying the submission that indicates why the existing form is not suitable. Court forms that are not designated as required will still be available to the public for optional use. Advisory Note – December 2020 Rule 31(A) and (C) of the Rules of Electronic Court Systems are amended to clarify that conventional filers in a court or region that has implemented EFS must comply with these rules and that conventional filers in those courts also must use the current Maine Judicial Branch forms.