What are Massachusetts Court Records?
With over 6.8 million residents, Massachusetts is America's 16th most populous state. The state has a two-tiered court structure organized into the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, and seven trial courts. The trial courts have varied jurisdiction and process over a million cases annually.
Records of these cases include all documents submitted to and generated by the courts. Massachusetts court records for any particular case typically begin with a complaint (in a civil case) or an indictment (in a criminal case) and include the following:
Docket Sheet
The docket names the attorneys, plaintiff, defendant, and judge. It also lists the many documents referenced in the trial and a summary of each.
Judgments and Orders
The judgment outlines the court's decision, including who won and any applicable punishments or court orders.
Transcripts
Transcripts record precisely what was said and who said it. These records are taken from an electronic recording of the proceedings or a real-time transcriber. They're most commonly ordered for appellate courts.
Evidence
Any evidence submitted to a case is filed for court records. This applies to physical and electronic evidence from either side. Parties may ask the judge to seal evidence in extenuating circumstances.
Court Minutes
This document summarizes a timeline of court events, including the beginning and end of the trial, special actions, and minute orders.
Pleadings
Pleadings are formal documents lawyers draft for the trial. They state each party's complaints, defenses, admissions, or other stances related to the case.
Types of Court Cases
Court cases are broadly divided between civil and criminal proceedings. Although these case types have many similarities, the main differences lie in the necessary standards of proof and potential punishments.
Civil Cases
Civil cases handle disputes between civilians, whether the parties are individuals or organizations. The most significant aspect of civil cases is that they aren't punished with incarceration or any extreme loss of rights.
Civil judgments are meant to resolve damages or provide peace of mind to the victor. Possible punishments include paying fines, terminating certain activities, or rectifying the root cause of the dispute.
For example, a property judgment may order one neighbor to take down an encroaching fence or pay to have it removed.
Additionally, civil attorneys must meet a standard of proof called the "preponderance of evidence". This term is a fancy way of saying that whoever the judge or jury believes more is the winner. A civil judgment doesn't require unanimous agreement.
There is also no legal right to an attorney in civil litigation. The 6th Amendment only applies to criminal prosecutions; civil parties must hire their own representation or appear in court pro se (representing themselves).
Criminal Cases
Criminal cases occur when the plaintiff is a government agency. The goal is to remove or rehabilitate lawbreakers from society and deter further criminal behavior.
Criminal defendants have the right to a trial by jury of their peers. The judge handpicks jurors from a randomized pool of district citizens and interviews each one to root out bias. Defendants may opt for a bench trial without a jury.
Unlike in civil cases, criminal juries must vote unanimously. This high bar is because the potential punishments in a criminal case are much harsher. Guilty verdicts can lead to imprisonment and severe fines, so jurors must be convinced that the defendant is "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt".
What Are the Different Courts in Massachusetts?
Courts oversee all manner of cases, from minor property challenges to serial murder. Regulations and procedures change depending on the case type, requiring multiple courts to answer every dispute and keep society running smoothly.
Massachusetts keeps seven courts with varying levels of jurisdiction and responsibilities. They are categorized into the following groups:
- Supreme Court
- District Courts
- Probate and Family Courts
- Housing Courts
- Juvenile Courts
- Boston Municipal Courts
- Land Courts
Some of these courts may also hold special sessions that fall outside of standard procedure. These sessions focus on administering treatment and rehabilitation to qualifying defendants rather than traditional punishments.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the highest court in the state and commands general jurisdiction. This means it has the authority to hear and decide on cases of all natures, criminal or civil.
The SJC operates primarily as an appellate court, ruling on high-stakes cases or cases related to equitable relief. However, it also oversees Massachusetts lawyers through the Board of Bar Overseers, Board of Bar Examiners, and Commission on Judicial Conduct.
The Governor and Executive Council appoint six associate justices and one chief justice.
Apart from occasionally advising the Governor and legislature, the full bench hears cases from September to May. There are also Single Justice sessions in which the seated justice rotates monthly.
Roughly 800 cases make it to the SJC annually. The full bench rules on approximately 200, while the others are handled in the Single Justice sessions.
Massachusetts District Courts
Massachusetts District Courts have limited jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases in the state. The only exceptions are downtown Boston and the Town of Winthrop, areas served by the Boston Municipal Court.
District Courts hear most misdemeanor and felony cases; however, some felonies cannot be punishable by more than five years of incarceration. These courts also have a $50,000 limit on civil damages and a $7000 for small claims.
Cases surpassing these maximums are referred to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. District Courts are found in 62 courthouses across the nine Massachusetts districts.
Boston Municipal Courts (BMC)
The Boston Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction in the City of Boston and the Town of Winthrop. They operate similarly to state district courts but cannot review cases punishable by a state prison sentence.
BMCs can review appeals regarding unemployment compensation and firearm licensing. They can also check State Police Trial Board investigations and review appeals about unemployment compensation, victim of violent crime compensation, and firearms licensing.
Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts
Probate and Family Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction that hear cases related to family situations. The most common cases involve divorce, child custody, parental rights, emancipation, and wills.
Family law is primarily affected by state law and local ordinances. Procedure may vary between these courts within Massachusetts. The state has 19 Probate and Family Court locations and is split into 14 divisions to manage families' various problems.
Massachusetts Housing Court
Housing Courts hear cases regarding residential housing. These courts have 15 judges spread between 6 divisions in Massachusetts.
Housing Court covers the typical disputes around evictions, property damage, breach of contract, and unpaid rent. However, it's also an avenue for appeal problems created by local zoning decisions and discriminatory renting practices.
Massachusetts Juvenile Courts
Juvenile courts aren't just a place to try young people more leniently. Their goal is to protect minors from abusive situations, connecting them to better environments and opportunities.
These courts aim to stomp out delinquent crime by punishing severe cases but also strive to take rehabilitative approaches when possible. Juvenile Courts are heard by 42 judges in 40 locations in Massachusetts.
Specialty Courts
Also known as problem-solving courts, these sessions are attached to various courts and provide alternative punishments for qualifying, non-violent offenders. Courts order defendants to undergo treatment and monitoring through therapy, rehabilitative programs, and regular drug testing.
The most frequent use of specialty courts is for drug addicts, veterans, homeless persons, and the mentally unstable.
How Many Federal Courts Are In Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is home to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, which has 13 sitting justices. The offices are split into divisions in Boston, Springfield, and Worcester.
Democrat presidents overwhelmingly nominated the active bench. The last Republican appointee was George W. Bush in 2004.
The nation's 94 district courts have limited jurisdiction over cases challenging Federal law or involving a "diversity of citizenship". Each Federal Court has an attached bankruptcy court. Decisions made in Federal Courts are frequently appealed to the US Supreme Court.
How Many Court Cases Are Filed Each Year in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts trial courts file close to a million cases every year, but only one in a thousand cases reach a higher court.
- Family: Family and Probate Courts hear over 121,000 cases. A third of these cases were probate matters, and another third related to divorce or judgment modifications.
- Juvenile: 13,300 cases appear in Juvenile courts annually, most covered delinquency or Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) cases.
- Civil Matters: Massachusetts has nearly 238,000 civil cases filed every year. Half of these cases are either small claims or are requesting restraining orders.
- Criminal Matters: About 300,000 criminal cases are filed in the state annually, and about half of these cases are "show cause hearings", asking defendants to comply with court orders or asking law enforcement for proof of probable cause.
How Do I Look Up Court Cases in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts court records are managed by the filing court. Most trial records are entered into an online database at masscourts.org.
Users must know the court information for where the case was heard and some docket details. The database's filters work with the party's names (defendant, plaintiff, attorneys, or judge), case type, case number, or the ticket number for traffic offenses.
Appellate court records are kept at ma-appellatecourts.org. Users can search with either of the litigant's last names, but the attempt will fail if too many results return, so it's best to prepare as much information as possible.
The available data in either database is limited depending on the case type. Online sources will provide the dockets and briefs, but more evidence and transcripts are likely only available in person.
These restrictions exist for nearly every court and case type, but the Boston Municipal Court withholds the most unless you visit in person. Check these pages to see what records are available online and in person.
If you live near the filing court, personally visiting is painless. Talk to the court clerk, and they will walk you through the process. This should boil down to handing them the case information and a valid US identification. You may also require a form of payment, as some courts charge a search fee.
What Court Records Are Not Available to the Public in Massachusetts?
Despite the Freedom of Information Act, the courts seal some records to maintain people's privacy or safety. Details like someone's Social Security number can lead to identity theft and aren't relevant to the case.
Other traditionally guarded information relates to minors, domestic abuse, and personal financial data. The latter includes facts like payment information for child support or proprietary business secrets.
Interested parties can petition to seal their criminal court records once a prescribed time has passed. Juvenile and misdemeanor cases can be sealed three years after the final court appearance. Felony arrests can be sealed after seven years unless it was a sex offense, which requires 15 years.
Criminal records and felony arrests are particularly damaging to people's lives. Black marks can lead to lost job opportunities and denied loans and rental applications.