Worcester County, Massachusetts Court Records
Worcester County court records are documents generated, filed, or maintained by a court clerk concerning cases or proceedings a local court hears. Some examples of court records and materials include exhibits, orders, pleadings, motions, statements, complaints, affidavits, recordings, and dockets.
The primary purpose of court records is to document court cases and proceedings, providing a means for future review to ensure they were carried out in accordance with applicable laws. They also keep the general public informed about processes carried out by their judiciary, ensuring transparency and foresting public trust. In contrast to records, such as vital records and arrest information that are subject to Massachusetts Public Record laws, the creation and public access to Worcester County court records are governed by Massachusetts Trial Court Rule XIV.
Are Worcester County Court Records Public?
Per Massachusetts Trial Court Rule XIV, also known as the Uniform Rules on Public Access to Court Records, Worcester County court records are available for public access unless prohibited by court order or relevant state or federal laws. As a result, most Worcester County Court records are considered public. Notwithstanding, examples of court records that are excluded from public access are listed in Massachusetts Trial Court Rule XIV: Addendum. These include, but are not limited to:
- Adoptions
- Probation records
- Delinquency proceedings
- Expunged or sealed records
- Qualified domestic relations orders
- Medical, health, and hospital records
- Abortion consent forms and materials
- Victim’s name in sexual assault record
- Civil commitment and mental health reports
- Alcohol and drug abuse program and treatment records
What Information is Available in Worcester County Court Records?
Worcester County court records typically contain the following information:
- Case description, including case number, title, type, status, initiation action, file date, and case judge.
- Case party information, such as their full name and attorney’s details (if applicable)
- Dockets information
- Judgement details
- Case disposition
- Events
Worcester County Court Records Search
Worcester County courts offer two primary ways to conduct court record searches: online and in person.
-
Online Access - Interested persons can search for Worcester
County court case information online through the
Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal. On the portal, users must select a court department (i.e., Boston
Municipal Court ("BMC"), Worcester District Court, Housing Court, Land Court
Department, Probate and Family Court, or Superior Court). They must also
select the appropriate Court Division and Court Location (if options
appear). Subsequently, users can search for cases by party name, case type,
case number, or ticket/citation number.
- In-Person Access - Public access terminals are available in local courthouses in Worcester County, allowing interested persons to search for case information and access court records. These terminals are free and available during business hours at most courthouses and can be searched by case number, party name, case type, or ticket/citation number. Record seekers may also request copies of court records from the court’s clerk for a fee.
Fees for Court Records in Worcester County
Per Massachusetts General Law c. 262, Section 4B and the Uniform Schedule of Fees, the following fees may be charged for copies of court records in Worcester County:
- A certificate for orders, decrees, rulings, judgments, or other proceedings: up to $20.00.
- An attested copy of court documents or records: up to $2.50 per page.
- An unattested copy of court documents or records: up to $0.05 per page.
- A blank subpoena for one or more witnesses: up to $5.00.
- A writ of habeas corpus: up to $15.00.
- A transcript of judgment: up to $50.00.
- Recording of notarial commission: up to $15.00.
- Certification of a notarized document for use in another state or a foreign country: up to $5.00.
- Compact disc and tape cassette recordings for proceedings: up to $50.50 plus postage per 90 minutes of recording or part thereof.
- Electronic access to audio recordings of a court case hearing: up to $10.00 per case or per day.
- PDF or other electronically formatted document: up to $5.00 (plus up to $4 for mailing CD).
Worcester County Courthouse Locations
The Worcester County court system consists of a Superior Court, 12 District Courts, a Probate and Family Court, four (4) Housing Courts, and five (5) Juvenile Courts. Worcester County Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction that has exclusive original jurisdiction over first-degree murder cases and all other crimes. It also has original jurisdiction over civil actions involving amounts up to $50,000, cases seeking equitable relief, and labour dispute actions seeking injunctive relief.
Worcester County District Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction that can hear criminal cases involving felonies punishable by up to five (5) years’ imprisonment, all misdemeanors, and violations of city or town ordinances and bylaws. For civil cases, District Courts can handle matters involving damages of up to $50,000 and small claims of up to $7,000. Worcester County Probate and Family Court has jurisdiction over cases involving family matters, such as child support, paternity, parenting time, custody, divorce, adoption, termination of parental rights, and abuse prevention. It also hears probate matters, like wills, trusts, estates, conservatorships, and guardianships, as well as name changes.
On the other hand, all matters concerning housing, such as civil actions involving property damage, personal injury, breach of contract, discrimination, and eviction, are handled by the Worcester Housing Courts. These courts also hear code enforcement actions and appeals of local zoning board decisions that impact residential housing. Meanwhile, cases concerning protecting juveniles from abuse or neglect and finding them safe, stable, and permanent family environments are heard by Worcester County Juvenile Courts. Below are the addresses and contact information for Worcester County courthouses:
Worcester County Superior Courts
225 Main Street,
Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: 508-831-2000
Worcester County District Courts
300 Boylston Street,
Clinton, MA 01510
Phone: 978-368-7811
Fax: 978-368-7827
279 West Main Street,
Dudley, MA 01571
Phone: 508-943-7123
East Brookfield District Court
544 East Main Street,
East Brookfield, MA 01515
Phone: 508-885-6305
Fax: 508-885-7623
100 Elm Street,
Fitchburg, MA 01420
Phone: 978-345-2111
Fax: 978-342-2461
108 Matthews Street,
Gardner, MA 01440
Phone: 978-632-2373
Fax: 978-630-3902
25 School Street,
Leominster, MA 01453
Phone: 978-537-3722
Fax: 978-537-3970
161 West Street,
Milford, MA 01757
Phone: 508-473-1260
Fax: 508-634-8477
1 Court Square,
Orange, MA 01364
Phone: 978-544-8277
Fax: 978-544-5204
261 South Main Street,
Uxbridge, MA 01569
Phone: 508-278-2454
Fax: 508-278-2929
186 Oak Street,
Westborough, MA 01581
Phone: 508-366-8266
Fax: 508-366-8268
Winchendon District Court
Gardner District Court
108 Matthews Street,
Gardner, MA 01440
Phone: 978-632-6326
Fax: 978-632-3580
225 Main Street,
Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: 508-831-2010
Worcester County Probate and Family Courts
Worcester Probate and Family Court
225 Main Street,
Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: 508-831-2200
Fax: 508-752-6138
Housing Courts in Worcester County
Central Housing Court - Dudley Session
Dudley District Court
279 West Main Street,
Dudley, MA 01571
Phone: 508-831-2050
Central Housing Court - Leominster Session
Leominster District Court
25 School Street,
Leominster, MA 01453
Phone: 508-831-2050
Central Housing Court - Marlborough Session
Marlborough District Court
45 Williams Street,
Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: 508-831-2050
Central Housing Court - Worcester Session
225 Main Street,
Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: 508-831-2050
Worcester County Juvenile Courts
100 West Main Street,
Dudley, MA 01571
Phone: 508-949-3070
120 Elm Street,
Fitchburg, MA 01420
Phone: 978-345-7620
Franklin County Justice Center
43 Hope Street,
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: 413-775-0014
161 West Street,
Milford, MA 01757
Phone: 508-478-8638
225 Main Street,
Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: 508-831-2000
Criminal Records Access in Worcester County
The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) is the central custodian of criminal records in Massachusetts, including those generated in Worcester County. Thus, interested persons may conduct statewide criminal record checks through the DCJIS.
Generally, two types of criminal record checks may be conducted through the DCJIS: a name-based criminal record check (CORI) and a fingerprint-supported criminal record check. A subject’s name and date of birth are required to facilitate a name-based criminal record check. It may be conducted through the Massachusetts iCORI Service website. Note that users must log in to access the website, and searches would return information on the subject’s available Massachusetts arraignments. Meanwhile, fingerprint-supported criminal record checks would return information about instances where a subject has been arrested in Massachusetts and possibly other states. However, only certain authorized Massachusetts non-criminal justice agencies may request a fingerprint-supported criminal record check, and it may be conducted through the Statewide Applicant Fingerprint Identification Services (SAFIS) program.
On the other hand, individuals can search and access or request copies of Worcester County criminal court records online through the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal. Alternatively, they can visit the courthouse where the criminal case was heard during regular business hours and use the available public access to search for the case’s court documents electronically.
Worcester County Probate Records
Worcester County probate records are legal documents containing information about the management of a decedent’s affairs after their death. These include the administration of the decedent’s estate and interpretation of their will and trust (if available). Some examples of probate filings include, but are not limited to;
- Wills and testaments
- Petitions for probate
- Inventories of assets
- Accounts and final distribution
- Court orders and decrees
- Letters of appointment
- Bonds
Worcester County Probate and Family Court is responsible for handling probate proceedings in the county. It also handles name changes, conservatorship, and guardianship proceedings. Record seekers can use the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal to search for certain types of probate court records online. However, they may need to visit the County Probate and Family courthouse to make an in-person request for comprehensive probate records.
Worcester County Family Court Records
Worcester County Probate and Family Court is responsible for handling all family law cases. These are cases involving families and children related matters, such as divorce, custody, paternity, parenting time, child support, adoption, abuse prevention, and ending parental rights. Interested persons can search for Worcester County Family Court records online through the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal. Alternatively, they may visit the courthouse and use available public terminals to conduct electronic searches for court records.
It is important to note that not all family court records are public. Certain cases, including adoption proceedings, are deemed confidential and are not open to public access. Only authorized individuals, such as the parties to the case, may access records from confidential cases, and they may be required to provide valid identification when making a request.
Federal Court Records in Worcester County
The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is the federal court that serves Worcester County. It has jurisdiction over all federal criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases originating from Worcester County, as well as appeals from such cases. This federal court has four (4) courthouses, and one of them is situated in Worcester County at:
Harold D. Donohue Federal Building and United States Courthouse
595 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608-2093
Phone: (508) 368-7300
Fax: (508) 368-7319
Records seekers can search for federal court records in Worcester County in person, online, or by phone. An in-person search may be conducted by visiting the local federal courthouse and using available computer terminals to search for the sought record electronically. Interested persons may also request physical copies of public federal court records from the court clerk’s office in person for a fee.
Alternatively, individuals may log in to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal to search for federal court records online. Note that confidential court records, such as sealed records, are unavailable on PACER. Additionally, users are charged up to $0.10 per page, capped at up to $3.00 per document, to access case information on PACER. However, these fees may be waived for users who accrue charges totaling $30 or less in a quarter.
On the other hand, individuals may access limited real-time federal case information by phone using the Multi-court Voice Case Information System (McVCIS) by calling the toll-free number (1-866-222-8029). They will need to enter the name of the court that handled the case or its unique extension to use the McVCIS. Furthermore, searches on the McVCIS may be conducted by participant name, corporation name, case number, or social security number.
