Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 19-A
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, § 1765 (2026)

Registration of child custody determination

✓ current as of May 2026
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1.  Registration procedure.  A child custody determination issued by a court of another state may be registered in this State, with or without a simultaneous request for enforcement, by sending to the appropriate court in this State:  
A. A letter or other document requesting registration;   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
B. Two copies, including one certified copy, of the determination sought to be registered and a statement under penalty of perjury that to the best of the knowledge and belief of the person seeking registration the order has not been modified; and   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
C. Except as otherwise provided in section 1753, the name and address of the person seeking registration and any parent or person acting as a parent who has been awarded custody or visitation in the child custody determination sought to be registered.   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
[PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
2.  Filing and notice.  On receipt of the documents required by subsection 1, the registering tribunal shall:  
A. Cause the determination to be filed as a foreign judgment, together with one copy of any accompanying documents and information, regardless of their form; and   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
B. Provide a notice with the information required under subsection 3 to the person seeking registration, who shall then serve the notice on the other persons named pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph C and provide them with an opportunity to contest the registration in accordance with this section. Notice must be given in a manner allowed under section 1738.   [PL 2023, c. 532, §1 (AMD).]
[PL 2023, c. 532, §1 (AMD).]
3.  Information in notice.  The notice required by subsection 2, paragraph B must state that:  
A. A registered determination is enforceable as of the date of the registration in the same manner as a determination issued by a court of this State;   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
B. A hearing to contest the validity of the registered determination must be requested within 20 days after service of notice; and   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
C. Failure to contest the registration will result in confirmation of the child custody determination and preclude further contest of that determination with respect to any matter that could have been asserted.   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
[PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
4.  Hearing to contest.  A person seeking to contest the validity of a registered order must request a hearing within 20 days after service of the notice. At that hearing, the court shall confirm the registered order unless the person contesting registration establishes that:  
A. The issuing court did not have jurisdiction under subchapter II;   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
B. The child custody determination sought to be registered has been vacated, stayed or modified by a court having jurisdiction to do so under subchapter II; or   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
C. The person contesting registration was entitled to notice, but notice was not given in accordance with the standards of section 1738, in the proceedings before the court that issued the order for which registration is sought.   [PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
[PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
5.  Confirmation of registration.  If a timely request for a hearing to contest the validity of the registration is not made, the registration is confirmed as a matter of law and the person requesting registration and all persons served must be notified of the confirmation.  
[PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
6.  Further contest precluded.  Confirmation of a registered order, whether by operation of law or after notice and hearing, precludes further contest of the order with respect to any matter that could have been asserted at the time of registration.  
[PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1999, c. 486, §3 (NEW). PL 1999, c. 486, §6 (AFF). PL 2023, c. 532, §1 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 2012–2018 · leading case: Kristin L. Gordon v. Jeffrey M. Cheskin, 2013 ME 113 (Me. 2013).
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Kristin L. Gordon v. Jeffrey M. Cheskin, 2013 ME 113 (Me. 2013). “Gordon registered the Pennsylvania custody order with the Maine District Court in Belfast pursuant to 19-A M.R.S. § 1765(1) (2012) on August 1, 2011.”
Cheron Dostanko v. Anthony M. Dostanko, 2013 ME 47 (Me. 2013). “In early 2008, Anthony and Cheron registered their Connecticut divorce judgment in Maine, pursuant to 19-A M.R.S. § 1765 (2012). In May 2008, both parties moved to modify the divorce judgment.”
Jaclyn E. Papadopoulos v. Brandon L. Phillips, 2018 ME 74 (Me. 2018). “See 19-A M.R.S. § 1765 (2017). [¶3] In 2017, Phillips’s wife was given a three-year assignment to a naval duty station in Hawaii.”
Papadopoulos v. Phillips, 186 A.3d 852 (Me. 2018). “See 19-A M.R.S. § 1765 (2017). [¶3] In 2017, Phillips's wife was given a three-year assignment to a naval duty station in Hawaii.”
Weston v. Weston, 2012 ME 50 (Me. 2012). “Nathan registered the Massachusetts divorce decree as a foreign judgment with the District Court pursuant to 19-A M.R.S. § 1765 (2011) in August 2008.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, § 1765(1) — 1 case
Kristin L. Gordon v. Jeffrey M. Cheskin, 2013 ME 113 (Me. 2013). “Gordon registered the Pennsylvania custody order with the Maine District Court in Belfast pursuant to 19-A M.R.S. § 1765(1) (2012) on August 1, 2011.”
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