Search Massachusetts Court Records by Name Without Using the Wrong Search Mode
Massachusetts does have a statewide Trial Court portal, but it does not work like a simple people-search database. The public MassCourts name search is primarily a civil-case route, while most criminal cases available to the public online require the exact docket number instead of a defendant-name search.
This guide shows what to click inside MassCourts, how to choose the correct Trial Court department and division, how to recover a criminal case when you only have a name, when CORI is the better tool, how divorce and probate records work, and what to do when a public record is visible at a courthouse but not remotely.
Start With What You Actually Know
The correct Massachusetts search route changes depending on whether you have a name, docket number, citation or need a broader criminal-history record.
Choose the Trial Court department and division first, then use MassCourts’ Name tab.
Use the exact name workflowMost public criminal cases cannot be located online through an ordinary defendant-name search.
Recover a criminal docketCORI is a separate name-and-date-of-birth criminal-history system and should not be confused with MassCourts.
Compare CORI and MassCourtsPublic case information can be searched through MassCourts, but document and copy rules are separate.
Open the family/probate routeChoose the Massachusetts Trial Court Department Before Searching
MassCourts is statewide, but the portal still requires you to select the department and division that handled the case. A correct name entered under the wrong department can produce no useful result.
Criminal, civil, small claims and other matters within its Boston divisions.
Criminal cases, civil matters, small claims and other cases across many cities and towns.
Evictions, housing conditions, landlord-tenant disputes and housing-related civil matters.
Juvenile proceedings with substantially different confidentiality and access rules.
Registered land, title, zoning and specialized real-property litigation.
Divorce, estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships and family-law matters.
Serious felony prosecutions and major civil litigation, among other cases.
Do not choose the division from the person’s current address
Use the division that had jurisdiction when the case was filed. If all you know is the city or town connected with the dispute, incident, property or family case, use Massachusetts’ Courthouse Locator before opening MassCourts.
What the Official MassCourts Search Guide Says About the Four Search Tabs
Massachusetts’ official MassCourts instructions show four public search modes: Name, Case Type, Case Number and Ticket/Citation Number. Choosing the correct tab is more important than adding more keywords to a search.
On a phone, swipe horizontally to view the full table.
| Search tab | Use it when | Massachusetts-specific caution |
|---|---|---|
| Name | You know a person or company connected with a civil case. | Civil route Do not rely on this tab as a general defendant-name search for criminal cases. |
| Case Type | You know the department, division and type of case but not the name or docket. | The official instructions limit the search date range to one month, so broader research must be run in smaller windows. |
| Case Number | You have the docket number from a notice, pleading, order or prior search. | Enter it exactly as it appears. Formatting errors can cause an apparently valid case to return no result. |
| Ticket/Citation Number | You have the ticket or citation identifier. | Use the number from the official citation rather than guessing the criminal docket number. |
How to Search Massachusetts Civil Court Records by Name
Massachusetts’ current public instructions identify the Name tab as the civil-case search. Start with the smallest amount of accurate information rather than trying to guess a docket number.
- Open MassCourts. Use the public-record search rather than the attorney-login route.
- Select the Trial Court department. Choose District, Superior, Housing, Land, Probate and Family, Boston Municipal or another applicable department.
- Select the court division. If you do not know the division, use the Courthouse Locator before continuing.
- Open the Name tab. This is the public party-name route Massachusetts describes for civil cases.
- Enter the last name. The official instructions require at least two characters in the Last Name field.
- Enter the first name. At least one character is required in the First Name field.
- Use Company Name for a business. Do not force a corporation, landlord, lender or other entity into first-name and last-name fields.
- Open the likely case and save the docket number. Once you have the number, use it for future lookups instead of repeating a common-name search.
- Verify the court, case type and parties. A same-name result is only a candidate match.
Use this three-pass name method when the first search fails
Search the first and last name most likely used when the case was filed.
Remove uncertain middle-name information instead of adding more filters.
Search the spouse, plaintiff, defendant, business or other known party when appropriate.
For a business, test the formal and practical versions
If the company name is uncertain, compare the formal legal entity name on a contract, lease or pleading with the simpler trading name. The MassCourts portal has a dedicated Company Name field for civil searches.
How to Find Massachusetts Criminal Court Records When You Only Have a Name
This is the most important limitation on the page: Massachusetts states that most criminal cases available to the public online are available only by docket number. A failed defendant-name search therefore does not mean the criminal case does not exist.
Use MassCourts’ Name tab after selecting the right department and division.
Use MassCourts to open the specific criminal docket when you know the exact case number.
Use CORI when your task is a Massachusetts criminal-history request rather than one particular court docket.
If you have the criminal docket number
- Open MassCourts.
- Select the correct department and division.
- Choose Case Number.
- Enter the docket exactly as printed.
- Open the case.
- Compare charges, docket events and disposition separately.
If you have only the defendant’s name
- Check court paperwork first. Bail papers, hearing notices, citations, summonses, attorney letters and prior orders may already contain the docket number.
- Identify the likely court. Use the city or town, approximate date and seriousness of the charge to identify District Court, Boston Municipal Court or Superior Court.
- Use the Courthouse Locator. Confirm the clerk’s office rather than randomly calling courts in the county.
- Ask the clerk how to locate the public docket. Give the full name, approximate year and type of matter.
- Use a courthouse public-access terminal when lawful. Massachusetts provides a separate in-person electronic access level that can be more useful for criminal case research.
- Use CORI when you actually need criminal history. A court docket and a CORI record answer different questions.
MassCourts vs CORI: Pick the Correct Criminal Record Tool
MassCourts is a case-information system. CORI—Criminal Offender Record Information—is a separate Massachusetts criminal-history system operated by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services.
| Your question | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Was a particular civil case filed? | MassCourts | Search eligible civil cases by party or company name. |
| What happened in this known criminal case? | MassCourts | Use the exact criminal docket number. |
| What Massachusetts criminal history is associated with me? | CORI | CORI is the state’s separate name-based criminal-history request system. |
| Do I need fingerprint-based identification? | Not ordinary name-based CORI | Massachusetts describes CORI name checks as name/date-of-birth based, not fingerprint supported. |
| Was the case federal? | PACER | Federal cases are outside MassCourts and state CORI court-docket searching. |
Current published CORI fees
| CORI request | Published fee | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Personal CORI | $25 per request | Massachusetts also provides a fee-waiver process for qualifying individuals. |
| Open-access CORI | $50 per request | The information returned depends on the legally permitted open-access level. |
Use a Massachusetts Courthouse Public Terminal When the Web Search Is Not Enough
Massachusetts separates remote public access from courthouse public access. This is especially useful when criminal case information or another public record cannot be located through the same anonymous web-search method.
Best for eligible remote docket and case-information searches.
Provides another electronic access level for public court case information.
Use the clerk for copies, certified records, older files and access questions.
Where public terminals are available
Massachusetts’ current docket-search guidance states that public terminal computers for the court intranet portal can be found at Massachusetts courthouses and County Registries of Deeds.
When a terminal is worth the trip
- You know a criminal case exists but do not have the docket number.
- The remote portal does not expose the same public information you need.
- You need to inspect case information before deciding which documents to request.
- You are researching an older case that may have incomplete remote coverage.
Massachusetts Divorce, Estate, Will and Guardianship Records
Divorce and most probate/family matters belong to Probate and Family Court. Massachusetts says publicly available Probate and Family Court case information may be reviewed online through MassCourts, at a courthouse public kiosk or by requesting the physical court file.
Search a divorce by name
- Open MassCourts. Choose Probate and Family Court as the department.
- Select the correct division. Use the Probate and Family Court where the divorce was docketed.
- Use the Name tab. Search one spouse’s name.
- Try the surname used when the case was filed. A later name change can make the obvious current surname less useful.
- Save the docket number. You will need it for a certified copy request.
- Look for the final judgment. A complaint for divorce is not proof that the divorce became final.
Search an estate or will
Select Probate and Family Court and the correct county division. Search the decedent’s name when public case information is available. If the will or underlying document cannot be viewed remotely, contact the division holding the case.
Virtual Registry can save an unnecessary courthouse trip
Massachusetts Probate and Family Court operates Virtual Registries where court users can receive face-to-face help from registry staff remotely. As of May 2026, Massachusetts stated that 12 Probate and Family Court Virtual Registries were operating. Hours differ by division, so open the specific division’s current page rather than relying on a statewide time.
How to Request a Massachusetts Court Record Instead of Just Viewing the Docket
MassCourts is useful for identifying the case. It does not turn every docket entry into an official certified document. First locate the docket number and exact record, then request the copy from the court that holds the file.
Prepare this before ordering
- Exact docket number
- Court department
- Court division
- Party or case name
- Exact document needed
- Approximate date of the judgment, order or filing
- Whether certification is required
- Number of copies needed
PFC 18: Probate and Family Court Request for Copies
Massachusetts publishes form PFC 18 for ordering Probate and Family Court records such as a divorce judgment or guardianship decree. The official copy guidance states that you need the docket number for a certified record request.
Current Massachusetts divorce-copy charges
| Record | Current published fee | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Divorce Absolute | $20 each | Official certificate confirming the divorce. |
| Certified Judgment of Divorce Nisi | $20 each | The published fee does not include supporting documents. |
“I have docket number [number] in [department/division]. I need a certified copy of [document]. Can you confirm the current total fee, payment method and whether I should mail, bring or otherwise submit the request?”
Not sure whether you need a docket, judgment, decree, transcript or certified copy? Use the site’s verified Court Record Types Explained page before ordering.
A Public Massachusetts Case Can Still Have Restricted Remote Documents
Public access and remote access are not identical. Massachusetts court rules protect certain categories of information from anonymous internet access even when some lawful courthouse access may exist.
| Situation | What the web result means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Abuse prevention proceeding | Remote restrictions | Use the record-holding court’s lawful access process. |
| Harassment prevention proceeding | Remote restrictions | Contact the court rather than assuming no case exists. |
| Juvenile proceeding | Special confidentiality rules | Juvenile access differs substantially from ordinary civil dockets. |
| Public case with nonremote document | Docket may remain visible | Ask the clerk whether the underlying record may be inspected or copied. |
| Impounded or sealed material | Not ordinary public access | Do not attempt to bypass the restriction. |
2026 Land Court Update: A Missing Document Image May Be an Access Rule, Not a Missing Filing
Massachusetts Land Court changed remote document-image access in 2026. Standing Order 1-26 was adopted February 2, 2026 and became effective April 1, 2026.
What changed
The order limits remote public access to images of certain sensitive electronic Land Court records. The published addendum includes categories such as medical records and other sensitive filings.
What did not change
A restricted remote image should not automatically be interpreted as proof that the entire filing is nonexistent or universally confidential. The correct next step is to review the current Land Court rule and contact the Recorder’s Office about permitted access or copies.
How to Read a Massachusetts Docket Without Misidentifying the Person or Outcome
A court docket is a chronology, not a verdict summary. Read the case header, parties and latest entries before deciding what a filing means.
Confirm the case is in the department you expected.
Check the specific courthouse or county division.
A person can be plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent or another participant.
A complaint or criminal charge says what was alleged—not what was ultimately proved.
Orders, dismissals and amended filings may change the meaning of earlier events.
Use the recorded final status or judgment rather than stopping at the first filing.
Use the site’s verified Court Records Glossary when terms such as docket, disposition, judgment, dismissed, sealed or impounded are unclear.
Massachusetts SJC and Appeals Court Records Use a Separate Appellate Search
The Trial Court MassCourts portal is not the only state court system. The Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court provide separate public appellate case-information resources.
| What you need | Correct route | Do not confuse it with |
|---|---|---|
| Trial Court docket | MassCourts | The later appellate case |
| Appeals Court case | Massachusetts appellate case information | The lower-court docket number |
| SJC case | SJC appellate docket resources | Trial Court MassCourts search |
| Published opinion | Appellate opinion resources | The complete docket and all filings |
Search by party when you do not have the appellate number
Massachusetts appellate guidance permits party-name searching in relevant appellate case-information workflows. Once the appellate case is located, save both the appellate docket number and the lower-court docket number when available.
Federal Massachusetts Court Records Are in PACER, Not MassCourts
A federal lawsuit, federal criminal prosecution, bankruptcy case or federal appeal will not be found by searching the Massachusetts state Trial Court system.
| Federal matter | Correct court | Search tool |
|---|---|---|
| Federal civil or criminal case | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts | PACER |
| Bankruptcy | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Massachusetts | PACER |
| Federal appeal | U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | PACER / First Circuit case system |
Older Massachusetts Court Records May Require Judicial Archives Research
MassCourts should not be treated as a complete index to centuries of Massachusetts court history. The Judicial Archives preserves historic criminal, civil, divorce, naturalization, probate and name-change material from courts across the Commonwealth.
Historic divorce records have a date-based route
| Approximate date | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1887–1922 | Judicial Archives | Massachusetts specifically directs researchers to archival guidance for many divorce records from this period. |
| 1922–present | Probate and Family Court | Probate and Family Court received divorce jurisdiction in 1922. |
Historical civil and criminal cases
Massachusetts publishes separate archive guidance based on the historical court, county and date. Some collections are available through digitized research services, while others require an Archives request.
Prepare a useful archive request
- Full party name
- Approximate year or narrow date range
- County
- Historical court if known
- Case type
- Docket or index reference if already located
Massachusetts Court Record Not Found? Diagnose the Failure Before Searching Again
Repeating the same name in the same portal rarely fixes a failed search. Identify which assumption may be wrong and change one part of the workflow.
You searched a criminal defendant by name
Most public criminal cases require a docket number online. Move to the criminal recovery workflow.
You selected the wrong Trial Court department
A divorce belongs in Probate and Family Court; a housing dispute may belong in Housing Court.
You selected the wrong division
Use the Courthouse Locator and search the court that handled the matter, not the person’s current home.
The name changed
Try the name used when the case was filed or search another known party.
The docket number was mistyped
Massachusetts tells users to enter the number exactly as it appears.
The proceeding has remote-access limits
Protected, impounded or otherwise restricted material may not appear in an ordinary internet search.
The case is appellate
Use the SJC/Appeals Court system rather than the Trial Court portal.
The case is federal
Use PACER instead of MassCourts.
The record is old
Move to Judicial Archives or contact the court division about off-site or historical records.
You need a criminal history, not one case
Use CORI instead of trying to turn a MassCourts case search into a background-history search.
Use this recovery sequence in order
- Identify the case category.
- Confirm whether it is state or federal.
- Identify the city or town connected with the case.
- Use the Courthouse Locator.
- Select the correct department and division.
- For civil cases, run the party-name search again with simpler information.
- For criminal cases, locate the exact docket number.
- Check whether the case has remote-access restrictions.
- Use a courthouse public terminal when appropriate.
- Contact the clerk or Judicial Archives if electronic coverage is insufficient.
What to Have Ready Before Calling a Massachusetts Clerk
A clerk can work faster with a narrow record request than with “please search everything on this person.” Prepare a short case brief first.
Include a former surname or business name when relevant.
A narrow filing window helps with old or criminal cases.
This helps confirm the proper Trial Court division.
Civil, criminal, housing, divorce, probate, land or another category.
Provide it exactly if any court paper contains it.
Ask for the judgment, decree, complaint, docket or another specific record.
“I am trying to locate a public [civil/criminal/divorce/probate] case involving [name], approximately [year], connected with [city/town]. I could not confirm it through the online search. Is this the correct division, and what information do you need to locate the docket?”
Use Massachusetts Court Information as a Record Lead, Not a Screening Conclusion
MassCourts itself states that the information on the site is not the official record of the court. Online case information can also include allegations, dismissed claims, duplicate names and later changes.
- A criminal complaint is not proof of conviction.
- A civil complaint is not proof of liability.
- A divorce filing is not proof that the divorce became final.
- A same-name result is not identity verification.
- A docket entry is not automatically the underlying court document.
- An online copy is not automatically a certified copy.
Use the site’s verified FCRA and Consumer Reporting Notice and User Safety and Anti-Misuse Policy before using court-record information outside ordinary personal or research purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Court Records
Can I search Massachusetts court records online by name?
Yes for eligible civil cases. In MassCourts, choose the Trial Court department and division and then use the Name tab. Massachusetts’ official instructions specifically describe the Name tab as the civil-case name search.
Can I search Massachusetts criminal cases online by defendant name?
Not in the same way as a civil case. Massachusetts states that most criminal cases available to the public online are available only by docket number. If you only know a name, identify the court, contact the clerk or use a lawful courthouse public terminal to locate the docket.
What are the four MassCourts public search tabs?
The official Massachusetts search guide shows Name, Case Type, Case Number and Ticket/Citation Number search tabs. The correct tab depends on the case type and information you already have.
Why does my MassCourts case-type search reject a long date range?
Massachusetts’ current instructions limit the Case Type Search date range to one month. Search a broader period as a sequence of smaller date windows.
What is the difference between MassCourts and CORI?
MassCourts provides court-case information. CORI is a separate Massachusetts criminal-history system operated by DCJIS. A CORI request and a court docket are different records and have different search rules.
How much does a Massachusetts CORI request cost?
Massachusetts currently lists $25 for a personal CORI request and $50 for an open-access CORI request. Check the current DCJIS page before paying because fees and eligibility rules can change.
Where do I search Massachusetts divorce records?
Divorce cases belong to Probate and Family Court. Select that department in MassCourts, choose the correct division and search the party name. If you need official proof, request the appropriate divorce record from the court that holds the case.
How much is a certified Massachusetts divorce record?
Massachusetts currently lists $20 for a Certificate of Divorce Absolute and $20 for a certified Judgment of Divorce Nisi. Supporting documents can have separate copy charges or procedures, so confirm the total with the court.
Why can a docket be public while the document image is missing?
Remote access is narrower than all lawful public access. Some documents must be reviewed at a courthouse or requested from the clerk. Land Court also adopted additional remote-image restrictions for certain sensitive filings effective April 1, 2026.
How do I find a very old Massachusetts court record?
Use Massachusetts Judicial Archives guidance. Historic civil, criminal, probate, divorce, naturalization and name-change records can require archival research instead of an ordinary MassCourts search.
How This Massachusetts Guide Was Verified
- Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access — MassCourts
- Massachusetts — How to Search Court Dockets
- Massachusetts — Types of Cases Available Online
- Massachusetts — Courthouse Public Terminal Access
- Massachusetts DCJIS — CORI
- Probate and Family Court — Public Record Access FAQ
- Massachusetts — Get a Copy of Your Divorce Record
- Massachusetts Trial Court Rule XIV — Rule 5
- Land Court Standing Order 1-26
- Massachusetts Judicial Archives
For this site’s editorial methodology, see the verified Source Verification and Manual Checking Policy.
MassCourts search modes, civil name-search rules, criminal docket-number limitations, Trial Court routing, courthouse public-terminal access, CORI pricing, Probate and Family Court copy procedures, remote-access rules, the 2026 Land Court access change, appellate/federal routes and Judicial Archives guidance were checked against current official sources.
Court interfaces, fees, access rules, Virtual Registry hours and copy procedures can change. The current Massachusetts Court System, DCJIS, record-holding clerk, Land Court Recorder or federal judiciary source controls when it differs from this guide.