Matthew D. Lauzon, Esq.

09/17/2025

Call me if the stakes are high and you need a trial lawyer who genuinely cares.

Upstream Law offers expert legal services in family law, civil litigation, and probate disputes in Maine, providing focused strategies with quiet confidence.

09/04/2025

Are you having a dispute with the contractor you hired to work on your home?

Call, email, or message me.

07/24/2024

I was proud to represent our firm to shed some light on the law applicable to this case, and many others, here in Maine.

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Family law attorney Matthew Lauzon said there are many times where parents are unhappy with rulings the court makes. He explained Maine state law has traditionally favored mediated resolutions between both parents and allowing a child to have consistent contact with both parents, even in cases where there may be a history of abuse.

Lauzon said Title 19-A in Maine Revised Statuses Annotated law lays out 19 priorities judges need to consider when handling family law cases where there is a history of abuse.

"The law is a blunt instrument," Lauzon said, explaining that the 14th Amendment protects the constitutional right to parent, making it difficult for states to terminate parental rights.

Lauzon said there are cases where children suffer further abuse after courts rule a child should resume contact with an abusive parent, but he said there are also some success stories.

He explained the Constitution simply prevents states from intervening to some degree, but there are protections and safeguards put in place when a child is reconnected with a parent who has abused them in the past.

Lauzon said those protections include a gradual process of introducing contact between a parent who has a history of abuse and the child.

That gradual and progressive contact often includes a parent writing letters to the child or a parent having supervised visits with the child that are limited to one hour but progressively increase over time.

"What the courts have to do is balance the rights of the parent versus the best interest of the kids," Lauzon said.

Bonnie Dennison said her newborn son was abused by his dad 11 years ago. He was convicted and served time following that charge, but now has supervised visitations.

03/30/2024

I took on a client today who was told to call me by a therapist who heard there’s no lawyer in the area who will fight harder to protect her child.

I’m damn proud to hear that’s the reputation I’m earning in Maine.

I can’t take on every case that comes across my desk, and a big reason for that is because I care too much about every case I have to overload my calendar and dilute my ability to go above and beyond.

Each case I take on is way too important to be anything but all-in and entirely invested.

The therapist was right to send this client my direction, and it’ll be my honor to help.

If you want to learn more, keep an eye on www.upstream.law and our social media presence in the months to come.

03/27/2024

First time meeting with a guardian ad litem as part of family court proceedings? Use this simple method to stay grounded.

07/31/2023

Thinking about hiring a lawyer?

Ask these three questions at your first meeting.

11/25/2022

It’s hard to find the right attorney to suit your needs — I want to help make it easier.

Need help sorting through a legal issue or recovering from a personal injury?

Let’s talk.

11/22/2022

Emails like this represent what I love most about practicing law.

I believe in thinking outside the box. I take the time to understand the wants, needs, ambitions, and concerns that are unique to each and every client. I view each situation as part of a long-term relationship, versus a transaction in need of a cookie-cutter solution.

Sometimes, the best path is the one the client expected when they first arrived at my office. However, far more often, we find another path to consider that costs less, takes less time, and/or avoids the need for litigation altogether. In either case, it is rewarding to know we considered all the options as a team, and did the best we could with the cards we were dealt.

11/21/2022

Are you a contractor in Maine who works on residential properties? Or a homeowner hiring someone to work on your home?

If so, you should be aware of the Maine Home Construction Contracts Act, which requires you use a written contract with specific provisions whenever the construction or repair contract is for more than $3,000. For example, the contract must limit any down payment to no more than one third (1/3) of the total price and the contract must include an express warranty of good workmanship.

Click the link below to read this helpful guide published by the Attorney General’s office here in Maine.

https://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/attach.php?id=27936&an=1