Franklin County Court Records

Franklin County court records are official documents containing information about legal matters adjudicated within the county's jurisdiction. These records often include information about the parties involved, trial transcripts, motions, orders, decrees, affidavits, testimonies, and evidentiary materials. Franklin County court records are typically available in various formats, including audio, video, and paper. The Franklin County court, where a case is heard, creates and maintains a court record for that case as the case progresses.

Access to court records promotes transparency, accountability, and valuable information about legal proceedings, including party names, charges, and outcomes. This information can help the public and legal professionals make informed decisions.

Are Court Records Public in Franklin County?

Yes. Court records are public in Franklin County under the Massachusetts Public Record Law. This means that individuals can inspect, copy, or obtain copies of court records in Franklin County upon request. However, there are exemptions, as certain court records are not subject to public disclosure. As outlined in the Massachusetts Public Records Law and the Supreme Judicial Court rules, the following are the types of court records not subject to public disclosure:

• Adoption records
• Juvenile records
• Materials and documents protected by attorney-client privilege
• Minutes and related documents from grand jury proceedings
• Records related to ongoing investigations
• Court records related to assault cases
• Medical or psychological records
• Records that would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy
• Records on confidential informants or witnesses in criminal trials
• Sealed or expunged records
• Court records containing confidential information, such as trade secrets, commercial or financial information, and other proprietary information.

Per Massachusetts state law, restricted, confidential, and sealed records may be obtained or accessed by legally authorized persons, such as law enforcement agents or agencies and individuals authorized by court orders or subpoenas.

Franklin County Court Records Search

Interested individuals can search for Franklin County court records using any of the following options:

• In-person requests to the clerk at the courthouse where the case was handled in Franklin County
• Mail, phone, or email requests to a Franklin County court clerk
• Online searches via the Massachusetts Courts Portal
• Searches on third-party aggregate websites that host Franklin County court records.

Franklin County Courts

The court system in Franklin County includes a Superior Court, District Courts, Probate and Family Court, Housing Courts, and Juvenile Courts. Each court handles different types of cases:

• Superior Court: Felony criminal cases and civil disputes involving large sums of money
• District Courts: Misdemeanors, civil matters with small amounts of money in dispute, and preliminary hearings for felonies
• Probate and Family Court: Wills, estates, and family-related matters, including divorce and child custody
• Housing Courts: Landlord-tenant disputes, housing code violations, and evictions
• Juvenile Courts: Cases involving minors, including delinquency, child protection, and adoption.

The contact information of these courts is listed below.

Franklin County Superior Court
Franklin County Justice Center
43 Hope Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
Phone: (413) 775-7400
Fax: (413) 774-4770
Email: Franklinclerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us.

Greenfield District Court
Franklin County Justice Center
43 Hope Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
Phone: (413) 774-5533
Fax: (413) 774-5328
Email: cmgreenfielddc@jud.state.ma.us.

Orange District Court
1 Court Square
Orange, MA 01364
Phone: (978) 544-8277
Fax: (978) 544-5204
Email: cmorangedc@jud.state.ma.us.

Franklin Probate and Family Court
Franklin County Justice Center
43 Hope Street
P.O. Box 590
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: (413) 774-7011
Fax: (413) 774-3829
Email: franklinprobate@jud.state.ma.us.

Western Housing Court - Greenfield Session
Franklin County Justice Center
43 Hope Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
Phone: (413) 748-7838
Fax: (413) 732-4607

Western Housing Court - Springfield Session
37 Elm Street
P.O. Box 559
Springfield, MA 01102
Phone: (413) 748-7838
Fax: (413) 732-4607

Greenfield Juvenile Court
Franklin County Justice Center
43 Hope Street
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: (413) 775-0014
Fax: (413) 775-9201
Email: franklin-hampshire-jccallctr@jud.state.ma.us.

Orange Juvenile Court
1 Court Square
Orange, MA 01364
Phone: (978) 544-5125
Email: franklin-hampshire-jccallctr@jud.state.ma.us.

Franklin County Criminal Records

Franklin County criminal records are public records under the Massachusetts Public Record Law and are available upon request to local law enforcement agencies in Franklin County. These records include local criminal history information, arrest records, inmate records, and crime statistics. To request these records, interested parties should contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in person, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or by mail at:

Franklin County Sheriff's Office
160 Elm Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
Phone: (413) 774-3235
Fax: (413) 772-1073

Email: process@fcso-ma.us.
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 868
Greenfield, MA 01302.

Alternatively, individuals can obtain criminal records from the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). The DCJIS manages and disseminates criminal history records for the state, including Franklin County. These records can be accessed through the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system.

It costs $25 to obtain a copy of an offender's criminal record from the DCJIS, payable by check or money order. Requesters must also provide a valid photo ID to process their requests. To contact the DCJIS, visit their physical location (200 Arlington St., Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150) or call them at (617) 660-4613.

Get Franklin County Civil Court Records

Franklin County civil court records are official documents created and maintained by the county courts during civil case adjudication. Civil cases in Franklin County can include, but are not limited to, personal injury lawsuits, contract disputes, tort claims, property disputes, family law matters, and landlord-tenant disputes.

To request these records, interested individuals should contact the clerk of the Franklin County court where a civil case was filed or adjudicated. This includes the clerks of the Superior Court, District Courts, Probate and Family Court, or Housing Court.

Clerk's Office (Franklin County Superior Court)
43 Hope Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
Phone: (413) 775-7400
Email: Franklinclerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us.

Clerk's Office (Greenfield District Court)
43 Hope Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
Phone: (413) 774-5533
Email: cmgreenfielddc@jud.state.ma.us.

Clerk's Office (Orange District Court)
1 Court Square
Orange, MA 01364
Phone: (978) 544-8277
Email: cmorangedc@jud.state.ma.us.

Register's Office (Franklin Probate and Family Court)
43 Hope Street
P.O. Box 590
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: (413) 774-7011
Email: franklinprobate@jud.state.ma.us.

Alternatively, individuals can access Franklin County civil case information online through the "MassCourt Portal," the Massachusetts Judiciary's case management system. However, recent records and case documents are only available for in-person inspection at the court clerk's or register's office.

Franklin County Marriage Records

Franklin County marriage records, also known as marriage certificates, certify the legal union of two individuals. They include the couple's names, the date and place of the marriage, and the officiant. The custodian of marriage records in Franklin County is the city or town clerk's office where the marriage license was issued. These offices maintain and provide access to marriage records for the public.

Individuals who wish to obtain these records should contact the city or town clerk's office. For instance, individuals can contact the City of Greenfield's Clerk's Office in person, by phone, or by mail to request vital records, including a marriage certificate for $10 per copy.

Alternatively, individuals may obtain Franklin County marriage records from the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records. To complete a request, individuals must provide:

• The subject's name.
• Date of the marriage.
• Place of the ceremony.
• Government-issued ID.

Requests may be submitted by phone, online, in person, or by mail. The cost per certificate depends on the request type: $32 per copy for mail requests and $20 for in-person requests.

Franklin County Divorce Records

Franklin County divorce records are generally considered public documents and serve as proof of a legal marriage dissolution. The Franklin County Probate and Family Court is responsible for handling marriage dissolutions and, consequently, divorce records in the county.

To obtain a Franklin County divorce record or decree, interested parties should complete the "Request for Copies" form and mail or submit it in person to the Franklin Probate and Family Court Register's Office.

Register's Office
Franklin Probate and Family Court
43 Hope Street
P.O. Box 590
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: (413) 774-7011
Email: franklinprobate@jud.state.ma.us.

Franklin County marriage records cost $20 per copy. Payment can be made with an attorney's check, money order, bank certified check, or bank cashier's check, payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Franklin Birth and Death Records

Each town or city in Franklin County maintains its own birth and death records. To obtain these records, individuals should contact the clerk's office in the town or city where the event occurred.

While local clerks are the primary custodians, the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics maintains a centralized record for the state, including Franklin County. Eligible individuals, such as the person named on the record, an immediate relative, or a legal representative, can request these records with a valid government-issued ID.

The fee for a certified copy of a birth record by mail is $32, and $20 for in-person requests. To request a record, submit a completed vital records mail order form to:

Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
150 Mt. Vernon Street
1st Floor
Dorchester, MA 02125.
Phone: (866) 300-8535

Franklin County Probate Court Records

The Franklin Probate and Family Court handles matters such as wills, trusts, and guardianships. Interested individuals can inspect, copy, or obtain them upon request to the court.

Franklin Probate and Family Court
43 Hope Street
P.O. Box 590
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: (413) 774-7011
Fax: (413) 774-3829
Email: franklinprobate@jud.state.ma.us.

Franklin County Property Records

The Franklin County Registry of Deeds is responsible for maintaining property and land records in Franklin County. This office records, preserves, and provides public access to all property-related documents within the county, including deeds, liens, encumbrances, property assessments, property descriptions, mortgages, and more.

Interested parties can request to inspect and obtain these records by contacting the Franklin County Registry of Deeds, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

Franklin County Registry of Deeds
43 Hope Street
P.O. Box 1495
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: (413) 772-0239
Fax: (413) 774-7150
Email: franklinrod@sec.state.ma.us.

Alternatively, persons seeking these records may use the lands record portal to search for and view Franklin County property documents online.

Franklin County Court Records Online

Individuals may use third-party sites like Massachusettscourtrecords.us to remotely and conveniently access Franklin County court records. These sites offer access to court records across multiple counties and jurisdictions through user-friendly searchable databases. Users can search for court documents and records by case party name, case number, and sometimes location. Third-party resources are mostly free, but some may charge minimal fees for detailed records.

However, because these sites operate independently of government agencies, their information may not always be accurate or up-to-date. Users should verify data from these sites against official government records.