The District Court has jurisdiction over small claims cases in which the plaintiff is seeking a money judgment of up to $6,000.

The purpose of the maine small claims law is to provide a simple, speedy, and informal court procedure. A small claims proceeding is held in the District Court.

In hearings before the small claims court, witnesses shall testify under oath. The judge has the discretion to admit all evidence that he or she believes is relevant and has probative value; the technical rules of evidence do not apply in small claims actions.

However, the plaintiff must still prove the elements of their claim in order to prevail, i.e. if the plaintiff is suing the defendant on grounds of breach of contract, the plaintiff needs to show that the parties had a contract, that the defendant "breached" (failed to live up to his or her responsibilities under the contract), that the plaintiff suffered damages as a result of the breach, and the amount of those damages claimed.

There are no juries in District Court. The plaintiff in a small claims proceeding gives up his/her right to a jury trial. If the plaintiff wins the small claims case in the District Court, the defendant is entitled to appeal and have a jury trial in the Superior Court in those types of cases for which a jury trial is usually available.

Courtlinked.com will handle your entire Maine small claims from start to finish.