Franklin County Court Records

Franklin County Justice Center

Franklin County is one of the few counties in Massachusetts where nearly all courts share a single building. The Franklin County Justice Center at 43 Hope Street in Greenfield houses the Superior Court, District Court, Probate and Family Court, and Juvenile Court under one roof. This is very convenient if you need to deal with more than one court on the same visit.

Getting to the Justice Center is easy. The Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) serves the area. Parking is available in the lot between Davis and Chapman Streets, at the corner of Prospect and Hope Streets, and in the Olive Street garage. If you are driving from another part of the county, parking should not be a problem. The Registry of Deeds is also at 43 Hope Street, (413) 772-0239, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM.

Franklin County is a rural county, so records staff handle a smaller volume of cases compared to eastern Massachusetts courts. That said, response times for complex or archived records requests can still vary. For case searches, start with the free portal at MassCourts.org. Civil cases can be searched by name or case number. The Franklin County court records portal also has a useful overview of access options.

Franklin County Superior Court at 43 Hope Street in Greenfield shares the Justice Center building with the District, Probate, and Juvenile courts.

Franklin County Superior Court

The Superior Court handles serious felony cases and large civil matters. All jury trials for the county are held here. Clerk Benjamin D. Simanski manages the clerk's office.

Under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, anyone has the right to inspect public court records. Most civil and criminal records at the Superior Court level are open. Exceptions include sealed cases, juvenile matters, and certain family cases. The clerk can confirm what is available and whether a particular record has any restrictions.

Probate and Family Court

The Franklin Probate and Family Court is also at 43 Hope Street. Register John F. Merrigan oversees the office. This court handles wills, estates, guardianships, adoptions, divorce, and child custody matters.

Note that Franklin Probate opens at 8:00 AM, earlier than most Massachusetts courts. If you need to file early in the morning, this is an advantage. The court handles probate records going back many years. Historical records from before 1811 can be found in Hampshire County court files. The Massachusetts Archives holds records from 1841 to 1930 for Franklin County.

Franklin Probate and Family Court opens at 8:00 AM, earlier than most courts in the state, and shares the Justice Center with three other courts.

District Courts in Franklin County

Two district courts serve Franklin County. The Greenfield District Court at 43 Hope Street covers the central and western parts of the county. Orange District Court serves the eastern communities closer to Worcester County.

The Western Housing Court holds sessions at the Franklin County Justice Center in Greenfield. Housing matters involving evictions, code violations, and disputes between landlords and tenants can be filed through this court. Check with the clerk for current session dates.

Getting Court Records

Greenfield District Court at the Franklin County Justice Center handles criminal and civil cases for the central part of the county.

The free portal at MassCourts.org is the best place to start an online search. Civil cases can be searched by name, case number, or case type with a 30-day date range. Criminal cases are not searchable by name through the public portal. Document images are generally not available online - you get docket summaries and case status only. For full documents, contact the relevant clerk's office by phone, in person, or by mail.

Copy fees are set statewide. Unattested copies cost $0.05 per page. Certified copies cost $2.50 per page. A certificate of a judgment or court order is $20. Payment should be to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Money orders, certified checks, and attorney's checks are all accepted.

For mail requests, write to the appropriate clerk's office. Include the case name, docket number, party names, filing date, and a specific list of the documents you need. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and your payment. Standard processing is 7 to 14 business days, though complex requests may take longer. If you need records from the Massachusetts Archives (1841-1930) or the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in Deerfield for historical research, contact those institutions separately.

Criminal record sealing under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A is available for eligible offenses after the required waiting period. Expungement under M.G.L. c. 276, §§ 100E-100U may be available for certain qualifying records. MassLegalHelp.org provides free step-by-step guidance on both. For in-person help, the Court Service Center at Springfield Hall of Justice (50 State Street, Springfield) serves Franklin County residents along with Hampden and Hampshire counties.

Public access terminals at the courthouse allow free searches of MassCourts. Staff can help you use the terminal but cannot conduct the search for you. The Registry of Deeds at the same building is a separate office and handles property records rather than court case filings.

The Franklin County court records portal provides contact details, access information, and links to resources for finding records in the county.

Cities in Franklin County

No cities in Franklin County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. Communities served by Franklin County courts include Greenfield, Orange, Montague, Deerfield, Shelburne, Northfield, Athol, Erving, Conway, Sunderland, Leverett, and many small hill towns. All of these communities are served by either the Greenfield or Orange District Court.

Nearby Counties