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Massachusetts · How-To Guide

How do I access court records?

Clerk of Courts (county-level courthouses - note: courts ARE organized by county even though most county government is abolished) / Massachusetts Trial Court (unified state system)
Step by Step

How to do it

  1. Identify what type of record you need:
  2. - Superior Court: major civil cases ($50,000+), felonies with potential imprisonment
  3. - District Court: civil cases up to $50,000, criminal misdemeanors, small claims (up to $7,000), traffic
  4. - Probate & Family Court: estates, wills, guardianship, adoption, divorce
  5. - Land Court: land titles, tax title, foreclosures (statewide jurisdiction)
  6. - Housing Court: landlord-tenant disputes (some counties)
  7. - Appeals Court / Supreme Judicial Court (SJC): appellate
  8. Search online:
  9. MASSACHUSETTS TRIAL COURT ELECTRONIC FILING (eFiling): Massachusetts has moved many filings online; case information available through ecf.courts.ma.gov for registered users; basic case search available publicly
  10. MASSCOURTS (masscourts.org): Massachusetts trial court case information system - some public access to case status; search by name or case number for District and Superior Court cases
  11. PROBATE: Probate court records typically require in-person or written request at the county Probate & Family Court; some counties have limited online access
  12. For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Clerk of Courts in the relevant county division; in-person or written request
  13. In-person access: visit the courthouse; bring photo ID and case details
Details

What you need to know

Required Docs
  • Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
  • Case number or full legal name of parties
Fee
Online case search: free for basic information; certified copies: typically $0.50-$2.50 per page plus certification; contact specific courthouse clerk for current schedule
Processing Time
Online searches immediate for indexed records; same day or by mail for certified copies
Online Option
Yes - masscourts.org; ecf.courts.ma.gov (for registered users); individual courthouse websites
Where to Go
Clerk of the relevant Court division in the relevant county
County-specific variations apply

Suffolk County (Boston) - Boston Municipal Court, Suffolk Superior Court, Suffolk Probate; Middlesex County (Cambridge/Lowell); Worcester County; Hampden County (Springfield); Essex County (Salem/Lawrence); Norfolk County (Dedham); Plymouth County; Bristol County; and others. Some counties (Nantucket, Dukes/Martha's Vineyard, Franklin, Berkshire, Hampshire, Barnstable) have smaller court systems. Online access quality varies by county.

Massachusetts Notes

Important state-specific details

  • Massachusetts Trial Court (masscourts.org): unified court system; some statewide case search available.
  • Massachusetts SJC opinions: masscases.com or mass.gov/courts/sjc; Appeals Court opinions: mass.gov/courts/appeals.
  • Criminal history background checks: Massachusetts Criminal History Systems Board (CHSB) at mass.gov/cori - "CORI" (Criminal Offender Record Information) system; background checks available for employment and other purposes.
  • Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry: state-run registry; contact state Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) at mass.gov/sorb.
  • Massachusetts Public Records Law (M.G.L. c. 66, §10): agencies must respond within 10 business days.
  • Juvenile records: sealed; special access rules apply.
  • Land Court: statewide jurisdiction; located in Boston; handles land title and registration matters.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
Massachusetts Trial Court - masscourts.org | (617) 742-8575; CHSB (criminal history / CORI) - mass.gov/cori | (617) 660-4600; SORB - mass.gov/sorb | (978) 740-6400