The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is January 2025)
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Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is criminal records. Some of our ancestors unfortunately got in trouble with the law. And records were kept from arrests through court cases to prison documents. Now, more and more of these records are being digitized or transcribed and are being made available online.
Types of Records
- Criminal court proceedings
- Police reports
- Prison and jail admission registers
- Arrest records
- Mug books
- Pardon and discharge information
- Hospital record books
- Workhouse records
Types of Information
- Name
- Age
- Birth date
- Height
- Weight
- Complexion
- Eye color
- Hair color
- Nationality
- Occupation
- Education
- Habits (alcohol use)
- Relations (parents living)
- Date incarcerated
- Court where charged
- Recommitments
- How and when discharged
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Listed below are links to criminal records that are available for free online for the district; the first list is for multi-state collections:
Maine Criminal Records
United States
- Before the Needles, Executions in America Database
- Death Penalty USA, Executions 1607-1976 (by state)
- Federal Bureau of Prisons, Inmate Search 1982-
- Freedmen’s Bureau Records Relating to Murders and Outrages
Maine
- Androscoggin County, Auburn, Court Records, 1926-1965
- Androscoggin County, Lewiston Municipal Court Records, 1886-1965
- Androscoggin County, Lewiston, Superior Justice Court Records, 1888-1950
- Androscoggin County, Lisbon Municipal Court Records, 1942-1961
- Aroostook County Court Records, 1839-1910
- Aroostook County, Ashland Trial Justice Records, 1926-1932
- Aroostook County, Caribou, Court Records, 1918-1962
- Aroostook County, Fort Fairfield Municipal Court Records, 1927-1964
- Aroostook County, Fort Fairfield, Court Dockets, 1927-1964
- Aroostook County, Fort Kent Court Records, 1932-1962
- Aroostook County, Madawaska Municipal Court Records, 1955-1962
- Aroostook County, Northern Aroostook Municipal Court Records, 1911-1962
- Aroostook County, Presque Isle, Municipal Court Records, 1917-1931
- Aroostook County, Supreme Judicial Court Records, 1852-1930
- Cumberland County, Bridgton, Municipal Court Records, 1919-1953
- Cumberland County, Brunswick Municipal Court Records, 1875-1965
- Cumberland County, Deering (now Portland), Municipal Criminal Court, 1892-1897
- Cumberland County, Freeport Trial Justice Records, 1952-1965
- Cumberland County, Gray Trial Justice Records, 1954-1965
- Cumberland County, Jail Records
- Cumberland County, Portland Municipal Court Records, 1832-1953
- Cumberland County, South Portland Municipal Court Records, 1899-1931
- Cumberland County, Supreme Judicial Court Records, 1798-1956
- Cumberland County, Westbrook Municipal Court Records, 1883-1941
- Cumberland, Superior Court Civil and Criminal Records, 1868-1949
- Executions in Maine
- Franklin County, Farmington, Municipal Court Records, 1888-1966
- Franklin County, Supreme Judicial Court, Criminal Records, 1859-1927
- Hancock County, Bar Harbor, Court Records, 1899-1966
- Hancock County, Bucksport Trial Justice Records, 1921-1944
- Hancock County, Bucksport, Court Records, 1888-1952
- Hancock County, Bucksport, Municipal Court Records, 1929-1935
- Hancock County, Ellsworth, Municipal Court Records, 1876-1966
- Hancock County, Ellsworth, Police Court Records, 1869-1876
- Hancock County, Municipal Court Records, 1921-1966
- Hancock County, Supreme Judicial Court Records, 1801-ca. 1931
- Kennebec County, Augusta, Court Records, 1869-1963
- Kennebec County, Gardiner, Municipal Court Records, 1928-1963
- Kennebec County, Gardiner, Trial Justice Court Records, 1946-1959
- Kennebec County, Hallowell Municipal Court Records, 1940-1964
- Kennebec County, Supreme Judicial Court Records, 1799-1929
- Kennebec County, Waterville Municipal Court Records, 1880-1933
- Kennebec County, Winthrop Municipal Court Records, 1903-1964
- Knox County, Prison Cemetery
- Knox County, Rockland Municipal Court Records, 1855-1873
- Knox County, Rockland, Police Court Records, 1871-1938
- Knox County, Thomaston State Prison Cemetery
- Lincoln County, Wiscasset Municipal Court Records, 1913-1934
- Maine State Prison, Name Index, 1907
- Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957
- Oxford County, Hiram Trial Justice Records, 1873-1900
- Oxford County, Norway Municipal Court Records, 1885-1966
- Oxford County, Rumford Falls Municipal Court Records, 1899-1932
- Oxford County, Rumford Trial Justice Records, 1897-1915
- Oxford County, Western Oxford Municipal Court Records, 1945-1965
- Penobscot County, Bangor, Court Records, 1834-1963
- Penobscot County, Dexter, Court Records, 1898-1965
- Penobscot County, Lincoln Municipal Court Records, 1947-1963
- Penobscot County, Millinocket Municipal Court Records, 1909-1963
- Penobscot County, Millinocket Trial Justice Records, 1900-1934
- Penobscot County, Newport Municipal Court Records, 1899-1965
- Penobscot County, Old Town Municipal Court Records, 1887-1962
- Penobscot County, Orono Municipal Court Records, 1957-1963
- Penobscot County, Superior Court, Criminal Records, 1921-1929
- Piscataquis County, Court Docket Records, 1915-1963
- Piscataquis County, Dover, Court Records, 1884-1915
- Piscataquis County, Milo Municipal Court Records, 1907-1911
- Portland, City of Portland Records, 1786-1882
- Saco County, Municipal Criminal Court Records, 1876-1899
- Sagadahoc County, Bath, Court Records, 1855-1965
- Somerset County, Anson Trial Justice Records, 1857-1881
- Somerset County, Athens Trial Justice Records, 1896-1918
- Somerset County, Fairfield, Trial Justice Court Records, 1883-1962
- Somerset County, Pittsfield Municipal Court Records, 1901-1965
- Somerset County, Skowhegan (Western Somerset) Municipal Court Records, 1908-1935
- Somerset County, Skowhegan Trial Justice Records, 1913-1932
- Somerset, Moose River, Trial Justice Court Records
- Waldo County, Belfast, Police and Municipal Court Dockets, 1883-1928
- Waldo County, Municipal Court Criminal Dockets, 1939-1966
- Washington County, Calais, Court Records, 1851-1971
- Washington County, Court of Common Pleas Records, 1791-1839
- Washington County, Danforth, Court Records, 1941-1964
- Washington County, District Court Case Files, 1839-1852
- Washington County, Supreme Judicial Court Case Files, 1821-1908
- Washington, Eastport, Court Dockets, 1903-1964
- Western Hancock County, Court Records, 1889-1966
- Western Washington Municipal Court Records, 1871-1967
- York County, Biddeford, Court Records, 1877-1965
- York County, Court of Common Pleas Records, 1695-1838
- York County, Kennebunk Municipal Court Records, 1923-1965
- York County, Kittery Yorkshire Municipal Court Records, 1943-1965
- York County, Record of the Courts, 1636-1852
- York County, Sanford Municipal Court Records, 1897-1932
- York County, Yorkshire Municipal Court Records, 1911-1940
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!