Bristol County Court Records

Bristol County court records are official files and documents created from legal proceedings held at the trial courts in the county. These records contain case details and filings, such as:

• Transcripts
• Dockets
• Case Information
• Orders and Motions
• Jury Verdicts
• Court Decisions and Judgments
• Plaintiff and Defendant Information
• Witness Testimony

Bristol County court records are vital to the county’s judicial system. These records serve as an essential resource for legal matters in the county, providing individuals with access to judicial information. Bristol County court records can also be used to verify legal information or conduct background checks.

Are Court Records Public in Bristol County?

Bristol County court records are public. The Massachusetts Public Records Law authorizes individuals to inspect or obtain copies of Bristol County public records, including court documents and files. However, access to the following court records is restricted by law:

• Medical files and information
• Juvenile court records
• Adoption and child welfare records
• Grand jury records
• Financial information in open records
• Paternity case records

Bristol County Court Records Search

Bristol County court records are accessible on searchable online databases maintained by the relevant agency in the custody of such records. Individuals may conduct searches from court documents and information on these databases using different criteria. Bristol County court records can also be obtained at the courthouse where the cases were filed. The courts may have public terminal computers for searching Bristol County court records, or record seekers may visit the Clerk’s Office to request them. Interested individuals can also contact the custodians by phone or email to inquire about Bristol County court records search.

Bristol County Court Records Search by Name

Interested persons can conduct name-based searches to access Bristol County court records. This process involves using the names of individuals to find court records associated with them.

To conduct a name-based search for Bristol County court records, log on to the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal and follow these steps:

• Click the search public records button
• Select the court department in the custody of the court records
• Select the number of search results
• Select the court division and court location from the drop-down boxes
• Under the Name tab, enter the last and first name in the required fields (Initial capital letter followed by lowercase letters)
• To search business names, enter the company name
• Click the search button to view search results

Interested individuals can also perform name-based searches on the public terminal computers at Bristol County Courts using the names listed on the court records they seek. Name-based search for Bristol Court records, whether online or offline, may incur some fees depending on the process and effort required to obtain the documents.

Bristol County Courts

Bristol County residents are served by five trial court departments with multiple branches throughout the county. These courts include the Superior Court, District Court, Housing Court, Juvenile Court, and Probate and Family Court. The Superior Court exercises general jurisdiction over all legal issues, while the other trial courts are courts of limited jurisdictions.

Superior Courts in Bristol County

Bristol County Superior Court - Fall River
186 South Main Street
Fall River, MA 02720
Phone: (508) 491-3300

Bristol County Superior Court - New Bedford
441 County Street, 1st Floor
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: (508) 996-2051

Bristol County Superior Court - Taunton
9 Court Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 823-6588

District Courts in Bristol County

Attleboro District Court
88 North Main Street
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: (508) 222-5900

Fall River District Court
186 South Main Street, 5th Floor
Fall River, MA 02720
Phone: (508) 491-3200
Fax: (508) 491-3492 (Civil)
Fax: (508) 646-3596 (Criminal)

New Bedford District Court
75 North 6th Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: (508) 999-9700
Fax: (508) 990-8094 (Civil/Criminal)
Fax: (508) 990-9332 (Small Claims)

Taunton District Court
40 broadway
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 977-6000
Fax: (508) 824-2282

Probate and Family Courts in Bristol County

Bristol Probate and Family Court - Taunton
40 Broadway, Suite 240
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 977-6040

Fall River Probate and Family Court
289 Rock Street
Fall River, MA 02720
Phone: (508) 672-1751
Fax: (508) 673-7068

New Bedford Probate and Family Court
505 Pleasant Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: (508) 999-5249
Fax: (508) 999-1211

Housing Courts in Bristol County

Southeast Housing Court - Fall River Session
289 Rock Street
Fall River, MA 02720
Phone: (508) 677-1505
Fax: (508) 672-9621

Southeast Housing Court - New Bedford Session
139 Hathaway Road
New Bedford, MA 02746
Phone: (508) 994-0156
Fax: (508) 994-7538

Southeast Housing Court - Taunton Session
40 broadway
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 977-4950
Fax: (508) 977-0485

Juvenile Courts in Bristol County

Attleboro Juvenile Court
88 North Main Street
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: (508) 222-5350

Fall River Juvenile Court
289 Rock Street, 4th Floor
Fall River, MA 02720
Phone: (508) 676-0090

New Bedford Juvenile Court
75 North 6th Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: (508) 999-9700

Taunton Juvenile Court
40 Broadway, Suite 1521
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 977-4910

Bristol County Superior Court Case Search

Bristol County Superior Court handles the case proceedings of criminal and civil cases filed in the county. Typical cases adjudicated by Superior Courts in the county include the following:

• First-degree murder
• Serious crimes (felonies)
• Civil actions with claims of $50,000 or more
• Equitable and injunction relief cases
• Appeals
• Medical malpractice tribunals

Interested persons can look up Bristol County Superior Court case on the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal using these steps:

• Click the search public records tab
• Select The Superior Court from the court department dropdown box
• Select Bristol County from the court division dropdown menu
• Select the number of search results to view
• Complete the required fields in the search criteria to search cases by name, case number, case type, or ticket/citation number
• Click the search button to view the results

The public terminal computers at the county court locations also allow users to access Bristol County Superior Court cases. To search for such cases on the computer database, input the Superior Court case number or case type.

Bristol County District Court Records

Bristol County District Court records are official documents and files generated from the proceedings of the cases heard by this court, such as:

• Felonies and misdemeanors
• Traffic cases
• Municipal ordinance violations
• Civil actions with claims up to $50,000
• Small claims matters

To access Bristol County District Court records, open the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal and select the specific District Court that holds custody of the records. Enter the relevant case details into the required fields of any search criteria and click the search button to view the results. In addition, interested individuals may obtain physical copies of Bristol County District Court records by visiting the courthouses where the cases were heard or get them by contacting the Court Clerks.

Bristol County Criminal Records

Bristol County criminal records are managed by law enforcement agencies and the court system. These records contain information about arrests (Bristol County arrest records), charges, and case dispositions. Individuals can contact the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) to access Bristol County criminal records. The DCJIS keeps statewide criminal records and provides public access through its online database.

Furthermore, the Bristol County Sheriff's Office maintains inmate information. Interested persons can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (508) 995-6400 to inquire about inmates serving time at the county jail.

Bristol County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Interested persons can look up criminal court cases in Bristol County through any of the following ways:

Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access

Users can open the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal to look up Bristol County criminal court cases maintained by the District Courts or Superior Courts. To use this portal, they can select the court department and division that keeps the criminal court case and search by case numbers, citation numbers, or case types.

Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS)

The DCJIS Massachusetts iCORI Service provides state-wide access to criminal offender record information. Individuals can access Bristol County arrest records on this portal. However, this service requires user account registration.

District and Superior Court Departments

The District and Superior Courts in Bristol County hear criminal cases. Interested persons can contact or visit the Court Clerk to search for Bristol County criminal cases. Alternatively, individuals can use the public terminal computers located at the courthouses in Bristol County to look up such cases.

Get Bristol County Civil Court Records

Bristol County civil court records are official documents relating to non-criminal legal proceedings handled by the county courts. Examples of such civil cases include:

• Small claims
• Eviction
• Labor disputes
• Divorces
• Tort actions
• Consumer protection cases
• Contract disputes
• Abuse prevention orders
• Mental health proceedings

Interested persons can get Bristol County civil court records by contacting the custodian to request the desired records or visiting the courthouse where the cases were heard. The Clerk at the courthouse may provide copies of civil court records to requesters. Visitors can also use public computers at the courthouse to access Bristol County civil case details.

Bristol County Civil Court records are accessible online through the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal.

Bristol County Family Court Records

Bristol County Family Court records comprise official documents and files created from family law proceedings within the county. The Probate and Family Courts adjudicate family law matters in Bristol County, including the following:

• Divorce
• Paternity establishment
• Child support and custody
• Parenting time
• Adoption
• Termination of parental rights
• Abuse prevention
• Alimony
• Annulment

Interested persons may access Bristol County Family Court records or inspect case files at the Probate and Family Court Taunton office.

Record seekers can inspect up to three Family Court cases in a day and must go along with the docket number of the cases. To access up to 12 Bristol Family Court cases at the courthouse, submit a completed Research Request Form by email. In addition, Bristol County Family Court records are available in electronic forms at the public computer terminals in the county courts. Likewise, online access to such records is also available on the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access.

Bristol Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Probate and Family Courts maintain Bristol County dissolution of marriage records. These records contain official documents relating to the legal termination of marriages, such as petitions, decrees, parenting plans, and property or debt division agreements.

Individuals seeking access to Bristol County dissolution of marriage records may contact the Clerk of the Probate and Family Court where the proceedings were held. Such persons can also access these records with the public terminal computers at the courthouse or obtain them online using the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access.

Bristol County Marriage and Divorce Records

Bristol County marriage records are the official documents relating to marriages solemnized in the county, while divorce records are generated from court proceedings concerning the legal termination of marriages. To obtain copies of Bristol County divorce records, complete the request form and mail it to the Probate and Family Court that holds custody of the documents. Requesters can also submit the form in person at the courthouse.

Bristol County marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of the city/town where the marriage ceremony was hosted. Interested persons may also obtain Bristol County marriage certificates in person, by mail, or online, if available.

Bristol Birth and Death Records

Bristol County vital records like birth and death records are maintained by the Clerk's Office in the town or city where the birth/death occurred. Death records in Bristol County provide information about deceased individuals, while birth records encompass details relating to the record owner's birth.

Interested persons may obtain Bristol County birth and death records from the town/city Clerk in person or by mail. Some Clerks may also provide online portals to obtain these records. Per Massachusetts law, death records are public records, but only eligible persons like the record owner or their relatives may access birth records.

Requesters can also order Bristol County birth and death records from the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS). They must provide documents to prove their eligibility to obtain Bristol County birth certificates or death records.

Completed application form for a Bristol County birth or death record can be mailed to:

Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS)

150 Mount Vernon Street, 1st Floor
Dorchester, MA 02125-3105

Interested persons may also order Bristol County birth or death records at the RVRS office location on weekdays between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.

Bristol County Probate Court Records

Bristol County Probate Court records are official documents from Probate and Family Court proceedings concerning the administration and transfer of estates. Probate matters include conservatorships, guardianships, wills and trusts, and name changes.

Interested persons may visit the Probate and Family Court Taunton office to view or obtain copies of Bristol County Probate Court records. Such records are also available at the Clerk’s Office of the Probate and Family Court, where the case was filed.

• In addition, interested individuals can access Bristol County Probate Court records online through the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access site portal.

Bristol County Property Records

Bristol County property records are official documents and information on real estate within the county’s boundaries. Property records in the county include:

• Declaration of Homestead
• Declaration of Trust
• Deeds
• Mortgage documents
• Affidavits
• Municipal Lien Certificate
• UCC Documents
• Federal Tax Liens
• Maps and Plans

The Registry of Deeds maintains Bristol County property records and is divided into Northern District and Southern District. Interested persons can email the Registry of Deeds to obtain official copies of Bristol County Northern District property records. On the other hand, requesters can use the online order form to obtain official copies of Bristol County property documents for the Southern District.

Bristol County Court Records Online

Third-party online resources like Massachusettscourtrecords.us offer an alternative way to access Bristol County court records, enabling users to view several documents and case information with ease. Despite the convenience and time-saving benefits of third-party resources, the records on their databases may not be up-to-date with the official source. Users may also need to pay subscription fees to access court records on such sites.