Co-parenting in Maine, without the 10 p.m. scramble
The school email. The $120 receipt. The pickup you have to confirm again. Hand Civly any of it as it arrived and it lands on one calendar both houses read — and if you ever need the record for District Court, where ME custody matters are heard, it's already there. You won't be building it at 10 p.m.
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District Court
handles custody in ME
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, § 1653
custody statute
Maine custody law
Maine uses 'parental rights and responsibilities' and encourages shared arrangements based on the best interests of the child.
What Maine courts consider in custody decisions
Maine uses 'parental rights and responsibilities' and considers factors under § 1653(3) including the child's age, the child's relationship with each parent and other significant persons, the preference of the child (if of suitable age and maturity), the duration and adequacy of the child's current living arrangements, the stability of any proposed living arrangements, the motivation of the parties and their capacity to give the child love/affection/guidance, the child's adjustment to present home/school/community, each parent's capacity to allow and encourage a close and continuing relationship between the child and the other parent, each parent's capacity to cooperate in child care, the effect of any domestic abuse on the child, and any other factor having a reasonable bearing on the child's well-being. Maine uniquely distinguishes between 'primary residential care' (where the child primarily lives) and 'parent of primary residence.'
How the custody process works in Maine
Maine custody cases are filed in District Court. Maine uses the terms 'allocated parental rights and responsibilities' (one parent has primary residence with the other having contact rights) and 'shared parental rights and responsibilities' (parents share residential care). Courts may refer parties to mediation through court-connected Alternative Dispute Resolution services. A guardian ad litem may be appointed to investigate and make recommendations. Under § 1657, a parent seeking to relocate with the child must provide at least 30 days' prior written notice.
Key Maine custody statutes
- Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, § 1653
- Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, § 1501
- Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, § 1657
How Civly helps Maine parents
One week, both houses, one version
Paste the school email or a calendar link and the events build themselves. Color-coded custody schedule from your own parenting plan. Share a read-only link with grandparents, attorneys, or mediators.
Say it how it comes out. Send the calm version.
Type or speak what you really feel — Civly writes the calm version — the one you would not cringe at if it were read back later. Your vent stays private and never enters an export. What you send is what gets kept.
Snap the receipt, skip the math
Snap a receipt or forward an email. AI extracts the amount. Your co-parent approves or disputes. Everything documented, timestamped, and exportable for your attorney.
Records your attorney can work with
Every message is timestamped, and exports as a certified PDF with a SHA-256 hash and a code anyone can check at civly.com/verify. How to present it in Maine's District Court system is your attorney's call, and whether a record is admitted is always the court's decision.
Pricing comparison
Civly
$79/year
or $7.99/month
- AI message rewriting
- Custody calendar
- Expense tracking
- Timestamped PDF exports
- Certified exports with verification codes
OurFamilyWizard Essentials
$149.99/year
Their cheapest tier that includes Writing Assistant. Cheaper OFW tiers exist without it. Per parent, list price August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
You don't need their agreement to start
Set up the calendar, log what's owed, draft the message you have to send tonight. Invite them when you're ready — the shared parts switch on the day they join.
Start tonight — $79/year30-day money-back guarantee. Available in every state.
Civly is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. Custody law and the rules of evidence vary from state to state, and individual judges apply them differently. For advice about your own case, speak to a family law attorney licensed in Maine. Civly launched in 2026 and is not named in many court orders yet — if your order already requires a specific platform, keep using it and ask your attorney before switching.