Documents Needed for Divorce in Maine

Walking into a Maine District Court clerk's office with an incomplete filing packet can lead to a rejected or delayed filing, and a return trip to fix a missing document can push your timeline further out. Here's exactly what you need, organized by when you need it.

Documents Every Divorce Case Requires

Regardless of whether you have children, every Maine divorce filing starts with the same core set:

Family and Probate Matter Summary Sheet (FM-002) — An administrative coversheet that gives the court basic tracking information: both parties' names and addresses, attorney details (or a note that you're self-represented), and whether real estate is involved. This is not confidential and gets served on your spouse along with the complaint.

Complaint for Divorce — This is the petition that starts your case. Maine uses two versions:

• FM-004 if you have minor children
• FM-005 if you have no minor children

The complaint must be signed and sworn under oath — you'll need to sign it in front of a notary public, a licensed attorney, or a court clerk. If either spouse owns real estate, check the "Title to Real Estate Involved" box on the first page. Missing that checkbox can delay property transfers after the divorce is finalized.

Family Matter Summons and Preliminary Injunction (FM-038 or FM-038A) — This is the one document you cannot download or photocopy. It requires the clerk's original signature and the court's raised seal, so you must purchase it directly from the clerk's office for $5. If you can't go in person, mail a written request with a $10 check or money order (covering the $5 form fee plus $5 postage) to any Maine District Court clerk.

The summons also contains the automatic preliminary injunction under 19-A M.R.S. § 903, which prohibits both spouses from transferring assets, canceling insurance, or taking on new debt once it's served.

Social Security Number Confidential Disclosure Form (CV-CR-FM-PC-200) — Required in every case, but this form is filed directly with the clerk and is never served on your spouse. It stays sealed to protect both parties' sensitive information.

Additional Documents for Cases with Children

If you have minor children, you'll need:

Child Support Affidavit (FM-050) — A sworn statement of your gross income, tax deductions, childcare expenses, and health insurance costs. Both parents must complete individual copies. This is one of the most scrutinized documents in the case, so accuracy matters — inflating expenses or underreporting income on a sworn affidavit carries serious legal consequences.

Child Support Worksheet (FM-040 or FM-040-S) — Uses both parents' financial information to calculate the recommended child support obligation under Maine's income shares model.

Documents That Come Later in the Case

These aren't needed at filing, but you'll need them before your case can reach a final hearing:

Financial Statement (FM-043) — Required in any contested case involving disputes over property, debt, spousal support, or attorney's fees. Both parties must complete this sworn disclosure of all assets, liabilities, monthly expenses, and income. Financial statements must be exchanged within 21 days of the scheduling order or at least three business days before your first mediation session, whichever comes first.

If your case is uncontested with no children and no financial disputes, you can file a Certificate in Lieu of Financial Statement (FM-042) instead.

Certificate Regarding Real Estate (FM-056) — Required whenever either spouse has an interest in real property. Must be filed at least seven days before the final hearing. It needs the physical address of each property, the date of the deed, and the exact book and page numbers from the county Registry of Deeds.

Proof of Service — After serving your spouse, you need to file documentation of completed service with the clerk within 20 days. This is either the signed Acknowledgment of Receipt (FM-036), the green certified mail return receipt card, or the sheriff's Return of Service.

Documents You Must Not Serve on Your Spouse

Three categories of documents are filed only with the court and never included in the service packet:

1. The SSN Confidential Disclosure Form (CV-CR-FM-PC-200)
2. Any fee waiver application (CV-067) and supporting financial affidavit (CV-191)
3. The Affidavit for Confidential Address (FM-057), if you're using one for safety reasons

Including any of these in your service packet to the defendant is a privacy violation and can compromise your safety or financial information.

Pulling It All Together

The biggest document-related mistake pro se filers make isn't forgetting a form — it's getting the sequence wrong. Filing before you've purchased the summons, serving confidential forms on your spouse, or showing up to a hearing without the FM-056 real estate certificate can each set your case back weeks.

Our Maine Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a filing packet checklist that tracks every document by stage — what you need before filing, what you serve, what you file with the clerk afterward, and what comes due before mediation and your final hearing. It's the assembly manual for a process that the court expects you to already understand.

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