Find Court Records in Berkshire County
Berkshire County court records are held across multiple courts in Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington. This guide covers how to search for cases, get copies of documents, and access records from the Superior, District, Probate, and Housing courts that serve the westernmost county in Massachusetts.
Court System Overview
Berkshire County is the westernmost county in Massachusetts and the most spread out in terms of court locations. Three district courts cover different parts of the county. The Superior Court and Central Berkshire District Court are in Pittsfield. Northern Berkshire District Court is in North Adams. Southern Berkshire District Court is in Great Barrington. Each serves a distinct geographic area, so it helps to know which district your case falls under before making the trip.
Wi-Fi is available at all Berkshire County courthouses. Free parking is adjacent to the Northern Berkshire courthouse in North Adams. The Southern Berkshire courthouse in Great Barrington has no public transit service, so you will need to drive or arrange a ride if you are going there. Both Northern and Southern Berkshire are accessible by the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) if you are coming from Pittsfield or Adams.
The nearest Court Service Center for Berkshire County residents is in Springfield at the Hampden County Hall of Justice, 50 State Street. That center also serves Hampshire and Hampden counties. If you need in-person help without an attorney, that is your closest option. For online case searches, start at MassCourts.org. The Berkshire County court records portal offers a useful directory of local court contacts and access options.
Berkshire County Superior Court at 76 East Street in Pittsfield handles major civil and criminal cases for western Massachusetts.
Berkshire County Superior Court
The Superior Court is the main trial court for serious felony cases and large civil matters in Berkshire County. The clerk's office manages all docket records. Clerk Lisa Denault-Viale oversees the office.
| Court | Berkshire County Superior Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 76 East Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Phone | (413) 442-9190 |
| Berkshire.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us | |
| Clerk | Lisa Denault-Viale |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
Public access to court records is protected under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, which gives anyone the right to inspect public court files. Most civil and criminal records at the Superior Court level are open. Sealed records, juvenile cases, and certain family matters may be restricted. If a record is sealed, the clerk will confirm it exists but cannot share the contents.
Probate and Family Court
The Berkshire Probate and Family Court is at 44 Bank Row in Pittsfield. Register Anthony P. Patella oversees this court. It handles estate matters, guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, divorce, and child custody cases.
| Court | Berkshire Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 44 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Phone | (413) 442-6941 |
| berkshireprobate@jud.state.ma.us | |
| Register | Anthony P. Patella |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (closes 30 minutes earlier than most courts) |
Note the earlier closing time at Berkshire Probate - the office closes at 4:00 PM rather than 4:30 PM. If you are driving from another part of the county, plan your trip with this in mind. For estate records, wills admitted to probate, and guardianship filings, this is the right court to contact.
Berkshire Probate and Family Court at 44 Bank Row in Pittsfield closes at 4:00 PM - earlier than most Massachusetts courts.
Note: Berkshire Probate closes at 4:00 PM, thirty minutes earlier than the standard court closing time across the state.
District Courts in Berkshire County
Three district courts cover the county from north to south. Central Berkshire handles Pittsfield and surrounding towns. Northern Berkshire covers Adams, North Adams, and the northern hill towns. Southern Berkshire covers Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Stockbridge, and other southern communities.
| Court | Central Berkshire District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 24 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Court | Northern Berkshire District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 111 Holden Street, North Adams, MA 01247 |
| Serves | Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, New Ashford, North Adams, Savoy, Williamstown, Windsor |
| Court | Southern Berkshire District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 50 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230 |
| Serves | Alford, Becket, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Monterey, Sheffield, Stockbridge and surrounding towns |
Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams serves Adams, Williamstown, and the northern Berkshire communities, with free parking and BRTA access.
Housing Court and Special Sessions
The Western Housing Court holds sessions in Pittsfield on Wednesdays. The Pittsfield session is at 76 East Street and runs from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Small claims sessions are held monthly at 2:00 PM on Wednesdays. All housing court filings for the Berkshire region are sent to Springfield, and jury trials in housing matters are held in Springfield rather than locally. This means if your housing case proceeds to a jury trial, you will need to travel to Hampden County.
Housing court handles eviction cases, housing code violations, and rent withholding disputes. If you have a housing matter, confirm the current session schedule with the court before going to Pittsfield, as schedules can change.
Note: Housing court filings for Berkshire County are processed in Springfield - jury trials are also held there, not in Pittsfield.
Getting Court Records
The Berkshire County court records directory lists all courts, contact details, and access options for residents of western Massachusetts.
Start your search at MassCourts.org. Civil cases can be searched by party name, case number, or case type with a 30-day date window. Criminal cases are not searchable by name through the public portal. Document images are generally not available online. Public access terminals at each courthouse give free access to MassCourts during business hours.
Copy fees are the same throughout the Massachusetts court system. Unattested copies cost $0.05 per page. Certified (attested) copies cost $2.50 per page. A certificate of a judgment or order costs $20. Payment goes to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by money order, certified check, or attorney's check.
To request records by mail, write to the clerk's office at the relevant court. Include the case name, docket number, party names, and a specific list of documents. Attach a self-addressed stamped envelope and proper payment. Standard processing takes 7 to 14 business days.
Criminal record sealing is available under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A after the required waiting period. Expungement of qualifying records is available under M.G.L. c. 276, §§ 100E-100U. For free guidance on either process, visit MassLegalHelp.org.
Cities in Berkshire County
No cities in Berkshire County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. Communities served by Berkshire County courts include Pittsfield, North Adams, Adams, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Stockbridge, Williamstown, Dalton, Lanesborough, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Egremont, Sheffield, and others.