Plymouth County Court Records
According to Rule XIV(1) of the Massachusetts Trial Court Rules, court records can be described as the whole or any portion of exhibits, motions, dockets, decrees, transcripts, and other official documents filed or maintained in a court proceeding. The legal responsibility of creating, filing, and maintaining Plymouth County court records belongs to the county's Clerk of Court.
Court records are considered part of Plymouth County Public Records and ensure the integrity and transparency of the judicial system. They are used as evidence in subsequent legal proceedings and are often reviewed when seeking to understand legal precedence.
Are Court Records Public in Plymouth County?
Yes, Plymouth court records are public according to the Massachusetts Public Records Law (G.L C.66 §10(a)). Therefore, members of the public have the right to inspect and access copies of public court records in Plymouth County. However, certain court records may be withheld from public access per Rule XIV(1) of the Massachusetts Trial Court Rules. Examples of confidential court records are:
- Adoption records
- Expunged records
- Probation records
- Affidavits of indigency
- Abuse prevention orders
- Child protection orders
- Harassment prevention orders
- Grand Jury minutes or documents
- Juvenile delinquency proceedings
- Drug and alcohol treatment records
- Board of Bar Overseers proceedings
- Abortion consent forms and materials
- Medical, health, and hospital records
- Civil commitment and mental health reports
- Appeals from the Sex Offender Registry Board
- Alcohol and drug abuse program and treatment records
What Do Plymouth County Court Records Contain?
Plymouth court records contain the following information:
- Case information (case type, case status, file date, DCM track, initiating action, status date, case judge, next event)
- Party information (defendant's name, plaintiff's name, aliases)
- Judgment information (Date, type, methods, for, against)
- Event (date, session, location, type, result)
- Docket information (date, text, amount owed, file reference number, image)
- Case disposition (disposition status, date)
Where to Conduct a Plymouth County Case Lookup
Requesters can conduct a Plymouth County case lookup at the following locations:
- Plymouth District Court
- Plymouth Juvenile Court
- Plymouth County Superior Court
- Plymouth Probate and Family Court
- Southeast Housing Court - Plymouth Session
How to Conduct a Plymouth County Case Records Search
A Plymouth County court case records search can be conducted by members of the public online at the Massachusetts Trial Court Electronic Case Access. The search parameters that may be used include the party name, case type, case number, or ticket/citation number. Requesters can also search by visiting any of the Superior or District courthouses in Plymouth County, using a designated public access computer at their preferred location. Copies of court records can be retrieved at the counter. In line with the Massachusetts Public Records Law, record requests are processed no later than 10 business days from the day they were requested.
Requesters are not required to pay fees to view court records in Plymouth County. However, copies of court records attract a small fee. The fees are not publicly stated and are shared with the individuals when the request is made.
Plymouth County Civil Court Case Records
Plymouth County civil court case records include any documents or materials that contain information about disputes between two or more parties. These include administrative and civil actions, business litigation, torts, and equitable remedies. To access Plymouth County civil court case records, requesters should visit the Massachusetts Trial Court Electronic Case Access and select the applicable court department, division, and location. Alternatively, requesters can visit the Clerk's office in any Plymouth County Courthouse to conduct a civil court case search. The Clerk Offices are usually open from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Plymouth County Criminal Court Case Records
Criminal court case records include any documents or materials created and maintained by the court concerning the criminal offenses committed by an individual. These include cases like criminal complaints, indictments, and probation transfers. Requesters can find criminal court records online through the Massachusetts Trial Court Electronic Case Access portal. A search can be conducted by case type or ticket/citation number. If the court department is the District Court, users can go to the case type section and select Criminal. However, if the department is the Superior Court, the requester should select a criminal complaint or indictment from the case type section.
Alternatively, individuals can conduct a criminal court records search in person at any courthouse. Most courthouses have public access terminals that can retrieve criminal court information.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Rule XIV(5) of the Massachusetts Trial Court Rules permits remote access to some court records. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to access court records for free online in Plymouth County:
- Visit the Massachusetts Trial Court Electronic Case Access website
- Go through the important eAccess information provided and follow the on-screen prompt
- In the search criteria section, select a court department and Plymouth as the court division. The court location is automatically filled in once this is done
- Individuals can then search court cases by name, case type, case number, and ticket/citation
- After filling and ticking all of the necessary boxes, click on the "Search" button to access the court records
Courts in Plymouth County
Below are the addresses of all the courts in Plymouth County:
Plymouth District Court
52 Obery St.,
Plymouth, MA 02360
Phone: (508) 747-8400
Fax: (508) 830-9303
Email: cmplymouthdc@jud.state.ma.us
Plymouth County Superior Court
52 Obery St.,
Plymouth, MA 02630
Phone: (508) 747-8400
Fax: (508) 830-0676
Email: plymouth.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us
Plymouth Juvenile Court
52 Obery St.,
Suite 1092,
Plymouth, MA 02360
Phone: (508) 747-0858
Email: barnstable-jccallctr@jud.state.ma.us
Southeast Housing Court - Plymouth Session
52 Obery St.,
Plymouth, MA 02360
Phone: (508) 747-8550
Fax: (508) 747-2017
Plymouth Probate and Family Court
52 Obery Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Phone: (508) 747-6204
Fax: (508) 746-6846
