Projects Archives | The Maine Monitor

A glass door with a gold tint and the phrase "Judge of Probate" across the glass door. The seal of the Cumberland Probate Court appears above the phrase.

3 min

Six takeaways from the Monitor’s probate court investigation

Maine's probate courts leave some of the state's most vulnerable people at risk.

BySamantha Hogan

June 4, 2023

A black sign reading "Probate Office" is attached to the wall outside the doorway to the office.

1 min

Maine’s Part-Time Court

Maine’s probate courts stand alone. Their judges are part-time and elected, and they operate independently from each other and the state supreme court. A lack of oversight by the probate courts may leave Maine’s most vulnerable residents at risk.

Judge David Paris speaks with an individual (not shown) in front of a sign that lists him as the county's probate judge.

23 min

Calls to overhaul Maine probate courts have stalled for half a century. The most vulnerable people may be at risk.

Some probate courts say they don't know how many adults are in guardianships or whether they're still alive.

BySamantha Hogan

June 4, 2023

Yellow sawdust fills and spills out of a hand that is hovering over a garbage can.

12 min

Hooked on heating oil: New wood heat options come with climate trade-offs

Maine's forests are crucial as a way to absorb carbon emissions, and as a heat source for industries under pressure to decarbonize and for residents struggling with high oil costs.

ByAnnie Ropeik

May 28, 2023

1 min

Hooked on Heating Oil

Maine relies on home heating oil more than any other state. Ending that costly dependence could improve lives and fight climate change. This series examines Maine’s reliance on oil, the efforts to transition to new kinds of heat, and the potential for our homes to someday be fossil-free.