Each state in the United States have their courts set up a little different. Some states and counties checking a criminal record is easy. In other states it is time consuming and expensive to check a criminal record. For example, you can run a statewide criminal check in New York NY and have the results within 24 hours but the state charges a $58 fee! Many states and court houses are free or the fee is minimal.
However Massachusetts court system is somewhat unique. The only statewide criminal record check for Massachusetts is CORI but it is expensive and has limitation and formulas on what information will be returned. I will explain CORI records in more detail in another blog post.
Massachusetts Criminal records are naturally kept in courts. Massachusetts courts are made up by Superior and District courts. Superior courts are based on counties. Each county could have one or two criminal courts. In Boston there is one Suffolk Superior court. In Middlesex Superior courts are located in Lowell and Woburn. Essex County has Superior courts in Lawrence and Salem, MA.
District Courts in Massachusetts is where things get confusing. Each county has multiple District courts. In District Courts a person can be charged with misdemeanors and or felonies. These district courts are not available on the internet. A private investigator or a person needs to go to the court house to search the records.
Here is the list of Massachusetts District Courts which can be a bit overwhelming
A
Attleboro District Court
-Attleboro Division
Ayer District Court
-Ayer Division
B
Barnstable County Superior Court
-Barnstable County Grand Jury
-Barnstable Superior Court
Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court-Edgartown
-Barnstable County-Edgartown Juvenile Court
-Dukes Juvenile Court
-Edgartown Juvenile Court
Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court-Falmouth
-Barnstable County-Falmouth Juvenile Court
-Falmouth Juvenile Court
Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court-Main
-Barnstable Juvenile Court
Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court-Nantucket
-Barnstable County-Nantucket Juvenile Court
-Nantucket Juvenile Court
Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court-Orleans
-Barnstable County-Orleans Juvenile Court
-Orleans Juvenile Court
Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court-Plymouth
-Barnstable County-Plymouth Juvenile Court
-Plymouth Juvenile Court
Barnstable District Court
-Barnstable Division
-First District Court (Barnstable)
Barnstable Probate and Family Court
Berkshire County Juvenile Court-Great Barrington Session
-Great Barrington Juvenile Court
Berkshire County Juvenile Court-Main
-Pittsfield Juvenile Court
Berkshire County Juvenile Court-North Adams
-North Adams Juvenile Court
Berkshire County Superior Court
-Berkshire County Grand Jury
-Berkshire Superior Court
-Pittsfield Superior Court
Berkshire Probate and Family Court
Boston Housing Court
-Housing Court Department
Boston Municipal Court
-Central Division, Boston Municipal Central Court
-BMC
-Brooke Courthouse
-Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
-New Chardon Street Courthouse
Brighton Division, Boston Municipal Court
-BMC-Brighton Division
-Brighton Court
-Brighton Municipal Court
Bristol County Juvenile Court-Attleboro
-Attleboro Juvenile Court
Bristol County Juvenile Court-Fall River Trial Court
-Durfee Courthouse
-Fall River Juvenile Court
Bristol County Juvenile Court-New Bedford Session
-New Bedford Juvenile Court
Bristol County Juvenile Court-Taunton Session
-Taunton Juvenile Court
Bristol County Superior Court
-Taunton Superior Court
Bristol County Superior Court-Fall River
-Bristol County Grand Jury
-Fall River Superior Court
Bristol County Superior Court-New Bedford
-New Bedford Superior Court
Bristol Probate and Family Court (Taunton)
Bristol Probate and Family Court-Fall River
-Fall River Probate and Family Court
Bristol Probate and Family Court-New Bedford
-New Bedford Probate and Family Court
Brockton District Court
-Brockton Division
-Brockton Trial Court
Brookline District Court
-Brookline Division
C
Cambridge District Court
-3rd District Court of Middlesex
-District Court Cambridge Division
Central Division, Boston Municipal Court
-Boston Municipal Court
-Boston Municipal Central Court
-BMC
-Brooke Courthouse
-Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
-New Chardon Street Courthouse
Charlestown Division, Boston Municipal Court
-Charlestown Court
-Charlestown Division BMC
-Charlestown Municipal Court
Cheslea District Court
-Chelsea Division
Chicopee District Court
-Chicopee Division
Clinton District Court
-Clinton Court
-Clinton Division
Concord District Court
-Concord Division
-District Court of Central Middlesex
D
Dedham District Court
-Dedham Division
Dorchester Division, Boston Municipal Court
-Dorchester Court
-Dorchester Division BMC
-Dorchester Municipal Court
Dudley District Court
-Dudley Division
-First District Court of Southern Worcester County
Dukes County Superior Court
-County of Dukes County Courthouse
-County of Dukes County Grand Jury
-Dukes County Courthouse
-Dukes County Grand Jury
-Dukes Superior Court
-Edgartown Superior Courthouse
Dukes Probate and Family Court
E
East Boston Division, Boston Municipal Court
-East Boston Court
-East Boston Division BMC
-East Boston Municipal Court
East Brookfield District Court
-East Brookfield Division
-Western Worcester District Court
Eastern Hampshire District Court
-Belchertown District Court
Edgartown District Court
-Dukes District Court
Essex County Juvenile Court-Lawrence
-Lawrence Juvenile Court
Essex County Juvenile Court-Lynn
-Lynn Juvenile Court
Essex County Juvenile Court-Newburyport
-Newburyport Juvenile Court
Essex County Juvenile Court-Salem
-J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center
-Salem Juvenile Court
Essex County Superior Court
-Essex County Grand Jury
-Essex Superior Court
-J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center
-Salem Superior Court
-Salem Trial Court
Essex County Superior Court-Lawrence
-Essex Superior Court-Lawrence
-Lawrence Superior Court
Essex County Superior Court-Newburyport
-Essex Superior Court-Newburyport
-Newburyport Superior Court
Essex Probate and Family Court-Lawrence
-Lawrence Probate and Family Court
Essex Probate and Family Court-Main
-Salem Probate and Family Court
F
Fall River District Court
-Second District Court
Falmouth District Court
Fitchburg District Court
-Fitchburg Division
Framingham District Court
-Framingham Division
Franklin County Superior Court
-Franklin County Courthouse
-Franklin County Grand Jury
-Franklin Superior Court
-Greenfield Superior Court
Franklin Probate and Family Court
-Greenfield Probate and Family Court
Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court-Belchertown
-Belchertown Juvenile Court
Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court-Hadley
-Hadley Juvenile Court
Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court-Main
-Greenfield Juvenile Court
Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court-Orange
-Orange Juvenile Court
G
Gardner District Court
-First District Court of Northern Worcester County
Gloucester District Court
-Gloucester Division
Greenfield District Court
H
Hampden County Juvenile Court-Holyoke
-Holyoke Juvenile Court
Hampden County Juvenile Court-Main
-Springfield Juvenile Court
Hampden County Juvenile Court-Palmer
-Palmer Juvenile Court
Hampden County Superior Court
-Hall Of Justice
-Hampden County Grand Jury
-Hampden Superior Court
-Springfield Superior Court
Hampden Probate and Family Court
-Springfield Probate and Family Court
Hampshire County Superior Court
-Hampshire County Courthouse
-Hampshire County Grand Jury
-Hampshire Superior Court-
-Northampton Superior Court
Hampshire Probate and Family Court
-Hampshire County Hall of Records
-Northampton Probate and Family Court
Haverhill District Court
-Haverhill Division
Hingham District Court
-Second District Court of Plymouth
Holyoke District Court
I
Ipswich District Court
-Ipswich Division
J
John Adams Courthouse
-Old Suffolk Courthouse
-Old Suffolk Superior Court
-Supreme Judicial Court
-Appeals Court
-Social Law Library
L
Land Court Department
-New Suffolk Superior Courthouse-Land Court
Lawrence District Court
-Fenton Judicial Center
-Lawrence Division
Leominster District Court
-Leominster Division
Lowell District Court
-Lowell Division
Lynn District Court
-Lynn Division
