Supreme Judicial Court
Massachusetts purchased Maine in 1677 and was recognized as the formal governmental authority of the area.
Maine courts were part of the Massachusetts judicial system until 1820, when Maine became a state. In 1782 the legislature reauthorized the General Sessions and Circuit Court of Common Pleas to continue their functions under the new Constitution. The General Sessions court was renamed the Court of Sessions, focusing on criminal cases, county jail management, and highway layout, while the Circuit Court of Common Pleas maintained its role in civil cases. In 1839, the Maine state legislature abolished the Court of Common Pleas