Rule 118.Final Orders of Family Law Magistrates; Judicial Review
Adopted July 1, 2016 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 118 gives a party 21 days to object to a Family Law Magistrate's final judgment or order, after which it becomes the judgment of the court without further review, sets what an objection must state, describes how a judge reviews an objected-to order, and channels any appeal through the objection process and the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure.
(a)Objection and Review. Any party who wishes to appeal a Family Law Magistrate’s final judgment or order shall file an objection in the District Court within 21 days after the entry of the magistrate’s final judgment or order. If no objection is filed, the parties are deemed to have waived their right to object and to appeal, and the magistrate’s final judgment or order shall become the judgment of the court and have the same effect as any final judgment signed by a District Court judge.
(1)The objection must specifically state the grounds alleged for rejecting or modifying the judgment or order. If a party fails to comply with these requirements, the objection may be dismissed with prejudice. An objection shall not be dismissed solely because it is erroneously captioned as a “motion,” “appeal,” “notice of appeal” or some other form of pleading.
(2)When an objection is filed, a judge shall review the record established before the magistrate with or without a hearing and may adopt, modify or reject the order, set the matter for further hearing before a judge or magistrate or recommit the matter to the magistrate with instructions.
(3)A magistrate’s final order addressing parental rights and responsibilities, residency, and support of minor children or the separate support or personal liberty of a person is effective when signed and remains in effect until modified or rejected by a judge.
(4)Every written final order of a magistrate shall state the parties’ right to object to the magistrate’s final order and the consequences if the parties fail to object.
(b)Appeals. An appeal from a judgment entered after objection to a final judgment or order of a magistrate shall be taken in accordance with the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure. No appeal may be taken from a final judgment or order of a magistrate as to which no timely objection was filed pursuant to subdivision (a).
(c)Waiver of Rights. The parties may waive their right to object and request immediate confirmation of a magistrate’s final order. They may also waive their rights to appeal.
Advisory Committee’s Notes & Reporter’s Notes
Advisory Note - July 2016
The change to Rule 118(a) was made to improve the readability of the rule.
Advisory Notes — June 2008
Rule 118 incorporates, with only technical amendments, FAM DIV.III.G.2-4 addressing final judgments and orders that may be issued by magistrates and provisions for judicial review and appeal of those final judgments and orders.
Plain-English Summary
A party who wants to challenge a Family Law Magistrate's final judgment or order must file an objection in the District Court within 21 days after entry. Without a timely objection, the parties waive their right to object or appeal, and the magistrate's order becomes the judgment of the court, carrying the same effect as a judgment a District Court judge signs. The objection must state the specific grounds for rejecting or modifying the order; a court can dismiss with prejudice an objection that doesn't, but not merely because it's labeled a motion, appeal, or notice of appeal instead of an objection. Once an objection is filed, a judge reviews the record the magistrate built, with or without a hearing, and may adopt, modify, or reject the order, set the matter for further hearing before a judge or magistrate, or send it back to the magistrate with instructions. A magistrate's final order on parental rights and responsibilities, residency, child support, separate support, or personal liberty takes effect when signed and stays in effect until a judge modifies or rejects it. Every written final order from a magistrate must state the parties' right to object and the consequences of not objecting.
An appeal from a judgment entered after an objection follows the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure; no appeal is available from a magistrate's final order if no timely objection was filed. Parties may waive their right to object and ask for immediate confirmation of the magistrate's order, and may also waive their right to appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a party have to object to a Family Law Magistrate's order in Maine?
21 days after entry. Without a timely objection, the magistrate's order becomes the judgment of the court and can't be appealed.
What must an objection to a magistrate's order state?
The specific grounds for rejecting or modifying the order; an objection that doesn't can be dismissed with prejudice, though mislabeling it as a motion or notice of appeal isn't itself grounds for dismissal.
What can a judge do after reviewing an objection to a magistrate's order?
Adopt, modify, or reject the order, schedule further hearing before a judge or magistrate, or send the matter back to the magistrate with instructions.
Source & verification. The rule text and Advisory Committee’s Notes / Reporter’s
Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Maine Rules of Civil Procedure (Me. R. Civ. P. 118), prescribed by the
Supreme Judicial Court of Maine (4 M.R.S. § 8, the Rules Enabling Act). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 8, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:objecting to family law magistrate ordermagistrate order appeal Mainejudicial review magistrate decision