SC-001 Statement of Claim
Court form SC-001 - Small Claims court Statement of Claim
Am I eligible for TANF?
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a program for low income families with children. It provides cash benefits each month, and may also help you pay high housing costs. TANF is funded by the federal government, but each state sets up a program with rules specific to that state. This article only applies to TANF in Maine.
We have put… More
Podcast: Familial Status Protections under Fair Housing laws
Many landlords or housing providers don't know their responsibilities when it comes to renting to families with children or don't even know that families with children enjoy a protected status under housing discrimination laws and that they can't make dwellings unavailable or deny dwellings just because families have children.
What you need to know before you go to court in Maine
Going to court on your own can be scary, but there are many resources to help you get ready. This article is written for two of the most common kinds of court cases in Maine:
-Small claims
-Eviction
RePresent: Renter! A game to prepare for an eviction hearing
If you have an eviction hearing soon, and will be going to court without a lawyer, you can practice representing yourself by playing RePresent: Renter! You'll learn how to prepare for court, what your rights are as a renter in Maine, what happens in court on the day of your hearing, and how to present evidence and cross-examine the other person in… More
Tips for Giving Evidence in Court
When you are giving evidence in court, explain exactly what happened in the clearest way you can. You should only talk about what you know. This means what you saw, what you felt, what you heard, and what you did.
RePresent: A game for people going to court without a lawyer
If you're going to court without a lawyer, you can practice representing yourself by playing RePresent. You’ll learn how to prepare for court, what happens in court on the day of your hearing, and how to present evidence and cross-examine the other person in your case.
Rights of Maine Renters: Eviction
Can my landlord turn off my utilities or change the locks on my door or kick me out without going to court? No. It is illegal for your landlord to throw you out by force. Your landlord must get a court order before they evict you.
Rights of Maine Renters: Discrimination
Landlords may not discriminate against you because of your: race, color, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental impairment, religion, ancestry or national origin, getting welfare, being a single parent, being pregnant or having children. This means that a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, charge you extra, or evict you for any of these… More
Rights of Maine Renters: Unsafe or Unfit Housing
Maine law gives tenants an "implied warranty of habitability." This means that your landlord must promise that your home is safe and fit to live in.