A truant is a student who stays away from school without permission or an explanation. Truancy laws are designed to encourage school attendance by creating simple court procedures through which children are held accountable for excessive school absences. The courts focus on the best interest of the child when addressing the truant conduct of a child.

Truant conduct is usually prosecuted or addressed as a civil (noncriminal) matter, and the definition and procedures for dealing with truancy are usually located in a state's statutes—often in the family code or education code.

In Maine, truancy is addressed under the state's education statutes. Maine law defines a truant as a student who has completed grade 6 and is at least 7 years old but has not yet reached 17 years old, who is absent from school without valid excuse for the equivalent of 10 full days or 7 consecutive school days. Maine's approach to truancy emphasizes early intervention and requires schools to notify parents after a student's third unexcused absence. If truancy persists, the school must develop an intervention plan. Should these measures fail, the school may refer the case to the local District Attorney's office. The court's involvement aims to serve the best interest of the child, focusing on returning the student to school and addressing the underlying causes of the truancy. The process is civil rather than criminal, and the court may impose conditions such as counseling or community service, and in some cases, the parents may also be held accountable for their child's truancy.