Massachusetts Court Records

Legacy directory content has been retained inside the updated layout so county-level links, clerk references, and older court research notes remain available in one place.

Massachusetts State Court Records Search Suggestions

As there may be more one source to obtaining Massachusetts criminal, civil and divorce records, it is important to search multiple state courts to find the correct records.

Massachusetts State Court Structure

The Massachusetts probate and family court has exclusive estate jurisdiction. The probate and family court has jurisdiction over support/custody, paternity, and miscellaneous civil proceedings. The probate and family court has exclusive marriage dissolution, and adoption jurisdiction. The Massachusetts probate and family court has domestic violence jurisdiction. The Massachusetts land court has jurisdiction over real property rights. The Massachusetts housing court has jurisdiction over real property rights, small claims up to $2,000, misdemeanor, and ordinance violation cases. The housing court handles preliminary hearings. The Massachusetts juvenile court has jurisdiction over miscellaneous domestic relations (TPR), and juvenile cases. The Massachusetts Boston municipal court has jurisdiction over tort, contract, real property rights ($0/no maximum), small claims up to $2,000, mental health, civil trial court appeals, and miscellaneous civil cases. The Boston municipal court has jurisdiction over support/custody, and paternity cases. The Boston municipal court hears felony, misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, domestic violence, and traffic/other violation cases. The Massachusetts district court has jurisdiction over tort, contract, real property rights ($0/no maximum), small claims up to $2,000, mental health, civil trial court appeals, and miscellaneous civil cases. The district court hears support/custody, and paternity cases. The Massachusetts district court has jurisdiction over felony, misdemeanor, DWI/DUI, domestic violence, and criminal appeals cases. The district court also hears traffic/other violation, and juvenile cases. The district court has preliminary hearings. The Massachusetts superior court has jurisdiction over tort, contract, real property rights ($0/no maximum), civil appeals, and miscellaneous civil cases. The district court also hears felony, and miscellaneous criminal cases. The Massachusetts appeals court has mandatory jurisdiction in civil, criminal, administrative agency, and juvenile cases. The appeals court has discretionary jurisdiction in interlocutory decision cases. The Massachusetts supreme court has mandatory jurisdiction in civil, criminal, judge disciplinary, advisory opinion, and original proceeding cases. The supreme court has discretionary jurisdiction in civil, criminal, administrative agency, juvenile, and interlocutory decision cases.

Directory of Links and Resources to Access County, State or Federal Court Records Online

• Massachusetts Superior Courts
  Jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought. Actions involving labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, and has exclusive authority to convene medical malpractice tribunals.
  
  
• Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts
  Jurisdiction over family matters such as divorce, paternity, child support, custody, visitation and adoption. Probate matters include wills, administrations, guardianships, conservatorships and change of name.
  
  
• Massachusetts District Courts
  Jurisdiction includes inquests, summary process, supplementary process, abuse prevention restraining orders, mental health matters including involuntary civil commitments and medication orders.
  
  
• Massachusetts Juvenile Courts
  The Juvenile Court Department has general jurisdiction over children in need of services, adoption, guardianship and termination of parental rights proceedings.
  
  
• Massachusetts Housing Courts
  Jurisdiction of the use of any real property and activities conducted thereon as such use affects the health, welfare, and safety of any resident, occupant, user or member of the general public.
  
  
• Boston Municipal Court Department
  Civil jurisdiction includes contract and tort actions, small claims, small claims appeals, mental health commitments, summary process, supplementary proceedings, unemployment compensation appeals, paternity and support actions.
  
  
• Massachusetts Supreme Court
  Mandatory jurisdiction in civil, judge disciplinary, advisory opinion and original proceeding cases. Discretionary jurisdiction in civil, administrative agency, juvenile and interlocutory decision cases. Search dockets, court calendar and case statistics.
  
  
• Massachusetts Appeals Courts
  Mandatory jurisdiction in civil, administrative agency and juvenile cases. Discretionary jurisdiction in interlocutory decision cases. Search court calendar, dockets, rules of the court and court decisions.
  
  
• Massachusetts Land Courts
  Exclusive, original jurisdiction over the registration of title to real property and over all matters and disputes concerning such title subsequent to registration.
  
  
• Massachusetts Bankruptcy Courts
  Link to free forms, use electronic filing systems and other judicial tools available to the public. Court calendars, self help resources, local rules and public access to information online.
  
  
• Massachusetts Judgments and Liens
  Massachusetts judgments and liens public information. Court look up sources, electronic forms and self help tools.
  

• Massachusetts Superior Courts
  Exclusive original jurisdiction in first degree murder cases and original jurisdiction for all other crimes. Jurisdiction over all felony matters, although it shares jurisdiction over crimes where other Trial Court Departments have concurrent jurisdiction.
  
  
• Massachusetts District Courts
  Criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties; all misdemeanors; and all violations of city and town ordinances and by laws.
  
  
• Massachusetts Juvenile Courts
  Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over delinquency, care and protection petitions, adult contributing to a delinquency of a minor, and youthful offender cases.
  
  
• Boston Municipal Court Department
  Criminal jurisdiction of the Boston Municipal Court includes most criminal offenses which do not require the imposition of a state prison sentence. The Court has original jurisdiction over a number of serious felonies, concurrent with the Superior Court.
  
  
• Massachusetts Supreme Court
  Mandatory and discretionary jurisdiction in criminal cases. Direct weblinks to court calendars, docket searches, rules of the court, opinions, information for victims and other interested parties.
  
  
• Massachusetts Appeals Courts
  Mandatory jurisdiction in criminal cases. Direct weblinks to court case statistics, evidence guide, rules of the court and docket search.
  
  
• Massachusetts Housing Courts
  Housing court jurisdiction includes misdemeanor violations of regulations of local cities and towns and under the state building code, state specialized codes, state sanitary code, and other applicable statutes and ordinances.
  

Barnstable County

Barnstable District Court
Falmouth District Court
Orleans District Court

Berkshire County

Southern Berkshire District Court
Northern Berkshire District Court
Pittsfield District Court

Bristol County
Attleboro District Court
Fall River District Court
New Bedford District Court
Taunton District Court

Dukes County

Edgartown District Court

Essex County

Gloucester District Court
Haverhill District Court
Ipswich District Court
Lawrence District Court
Lynn District Court
Newburyport District Court
Peabody District Court
Salem District Court

Franklin County

Greenfield District Court
Orange District Court

Hampden County

Chicopee District Court
Holyoke District Court
Palmer District Court
Springfield District Court
Westfield District Court

Hampshire County

Eastern Hampshire District Court
Northampton District Court

Middlesex County

Ayer District Court
Cambridge District Court
Concord District Court
Framingham District Court
Lowell District Court
Malden District Court
Marlborough District Court
Natick District Court
Newton District Court
Somerville District Court
Waltham District Court
Woburn District Court

Nantucket County

Nantucket District Court

Norfolk County

Brookline District Court
Dedham District Court
Quincy District Court
Stoughton District Court
Wrentham District Court

Plymouth County

Brockton District Court
Hingham District Court
Plymouth District Court
Wareham District Court

Suffolk County

Chelsea District Court

Worcester County

Clinton District Court
Dudley District Court
East Brookfield District Court
Fitchburg District Court
Gardner District Court
Leominster District Court
Milford District Court
Uxbridge District Court
Westborough District Court
Winchendon District Court
Worcester District Court

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