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Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, §§ 6000–6016-A § 6003

Jurisdiction

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026MaineSummary Process

Operative Text

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, §§ 6000–6016-A § 6003
The District Court shall have jurisdiction of cases of forcible entry and detainer.


The court shall schedule and hold the hearing as soon as practicable, but no later than 10 days after the return day except that the court may grant a continuance for good cause shown. Any defendant requesting a recorded hearing shall file a written answer enumerating all known defenses on or before the return day.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under 14 M.R.S. §§ 6000–6003, Maine's District Court is the designated forum for forcible entry and detainer (eviction) cases. Once a case is filed, the court must schedule a hearing as soon as possible, with a firm outer limit of 10 days after the return day, though a continuance may be granted for good cause. A defendant who wants the hearing to be recorded must submit a written answer listing all known defenses by the return day at the latest.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under 14 M.R.S. §§ 6000–6003, landlords pursuing a forcible entry and detainer action must file in Maine's District Court, which is the proper venue for these proceedings. Because hearings are scheduled quickly—within 10 days of the return day—operators should ensure all documentation and evidence are organized well in advance of that date. Being prepared for a prompt hearing timeline is a hallmark of compliant property management practice in Maine eviction proceedings.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under 14 M.R.S. §§ 6000–6003, tenants facing a forcible entry and detainer action have the right to a hearing in Maine's District Court, typically within 10 days of the return day. If a tenant wants the hearing to be recorded, a written answer that lists all known defenses must be filed on or before the return day—missing this deadline may affect that option. Tenants can explore their rights and available defenses by contacting a local tenant-rights organization or Maine's legal aid services.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Expression #1
Oct 21, 2026
Current
Oct 21, 2026
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References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Me. Rev. Stat. § 6015
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6004
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6016
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6015
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6004
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6013
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6016
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6013
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002

Related Rules

§ 1
Persons entitled to summary process
§ 3
Judgment and execution; costs; appeal
§ 5
Appeal; bond; actions thereon; waiver; appeal of waiver or periodic payments; notice of decision

Source Information

Source:https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6003.html
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