Maine Small Claims Court Forms — Every Form You Need to File

The Forms You Need

Maine's small claims process uses standardized forms published by the Administrative Office of the Courts. All forms are free to download from courts.maine.gov. Here is every form you may need, in the order you are likely to use them.

Form SC-001: Statement of Claim

This is the form that starts your case. It asks for:

• Your name and address (the plaintiff)
• The defendant's legal name and address
• The amount you are claiming (up to $10,000)
• A plain, concise statement of facts explaining what happened and why the defendant owes you money
• An affirmation that the action is not a consumer debt collection case under Title 32

The fact statement is where most first-time filers struggle. The form gives you a small box and no instructions. What the court wants is dates, dollar amounts and a clear chain of events — not legal arguments or emotional appeals. The judge reads this summary before the hearing, so a disorganized or vague fact statement means you start at a disadvantage.

One detail that catches many filers: the Title 32 affirmation. You must check a box confirming that your claim is not a consumer debt collection action governed by Maine's debt collection licensing statute. If you are suing as an original creditor (the contractor owes you, the landlord owes you), you check the box. If you are a third-party debt collector, different rules apply.

Form SC-005: Acknowledgement of Service

Used when you serve the defendant by regular first-class mail. You mail the SC-001 packet along with two copies of SC-005 and a prepaid return envelope. The defendant signs one copy and mails it back. Service is legally complete only when the signed SC-005 is returned to you within 20 days.

This is the cheapest service method, but it depends on the defendant cooperating. If they do not sign and return SC-005, you need to re-serve using a different method.

Form SC-006: Affidavit and Request for Service

If you file fewer than three small claims actions per calendar month, you can ask the District Court clerk to arrange service for you. Submit SC-006 along with your SC-001 and $70 filing fee, plus an additional $15 per party service fee. The clerk sends the claim packet to the defendant by certified mail on your behalf.

This is the simplest service option — you pay, the clerk handles the mailing, and the proof of service is filed automatically. The limitation is the three-cases-per-month threshold and the extra $15 cost per defendant.

Form SC-007: Notice of Small Claims Appeal

If you lose your case and want to appeal, file SC-007 with the District Court clerk within 30 days of the judgment's docket entry. You also need Form CV/CR-165 (to order a transcript or audio recording of the hearing) and the Superior Court entry fee. Plaintiff appeals are limited to questions of law. Defendants seeking a full new trial must file an affidavit showing genuine issues of material fact.

Form CV-067: Fee Waiver Application

If you cannot afford the $70 filing fee, submit CV-067 along with a financial affidavit (Form CV-191). A judge reviews your income and expenses. If approved, the court waives the entry fee. Your filing date is preserved while the application is pending — if the waiver is denied, you get a window to pay the fee and keep the original filing date.

Forms SC-003 and SC-004: Disclosure Hearing

These come into play after you have won a judgment and the defendant has not paid. Form SC-003 requests a disclosure hearing where the judge orders the debtor to reveal income, assets and bank accounts. The entry fee is $30. Form SC-004 is a direct service notice used by judgment creditors who file frequently.

Where to Download

All forms are available at courts.maine.gov under the Self-Help section. Search for "small claims forms" or navigate to the forms library. The forms are PDF downloads — fill them out by hand or type into the fields before printing.

There is no single packet that bundles everything together. Each form is a separate download, and the court website does not explain which forms you need for your situation or what order to use them in.

The Maine Small Claims Filing Guide puts every form in sequence with line-by-line instructions for the Statement of Claim and a decision tree for choosing the right service method and form.

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