| Superior Court Clerk | Barnstable County Superior Court Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Register of Probate | Barnstable Probate and Family Court — Register of Probate |
| Clerk address | Barnstable County Court Complex, 3195 Main St, Barnstable, MA 02630. Superior Court Clerk mail: P.O. Box 425, Barnstable, MA 02630. Probate and Family Court Register mail: P.O. Box 346, Barnstable, MA 02630 |
| Phone | Superior Court Clerk's Office: (508) 375-6684; Probate and Family Court Register's Office: (508) 375-6710 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Superior Court Clerk and Probate and Family Court Register) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.05 per page for an unattested copy or printout of court documents, records, or other papers held by the clerk, register, or recorder |
| Certified copy fee | $2.50 per page for an attested (certified) copy of a document or docket sheet; $20.00 for a certificate of orders, decrees, rulings, or judgments |
Barnstable County covers all of Cape Cod, and its court records are concentrated in one place: the county court complex at 3195 Main Street (Route 6A) in Barnstable Village. The Barnstable County Superior Court Clerk's Office and the Barnstable Probate and Family Court Register's Office share that complex, though each has its own post-office box — P.O. Box 425 for the Superior Court clerk and P.O. Box 346 for the Register of Probate — so a mailed request should be addressed to the right one.
Misdemeanors and civil claims up to $50,000 are heard in the county's District Court divisions, Barnstable, Falmouth, and Orleans, each with its own clerk-magistrate. The Barnstable District Court sits in the same Main Street complex as the Superior Court and the probate registry, which is convenient but also a common source of confusion: three separate offices with three separate sets of files share one driveway. Housing cases for the Cape are handled by the Southeast Housing Court rather than by a county office.
The probate registry is notable for publishing direct phone lines for each of its sections — estates, guardianships, divorce, paternity, and protection from abuse — so a caller can reach the right desk on the first try. A free MassCourts docket search will show which court and case type a matter falls under before you call.
Search Barnstable County court records online
Superior Court Clerk
Barnstable County Superior Court Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free docket lookup on MassCourts; $2.50 per page for attested copies, $0.05 per page for plain copies under the Trial Court Uniform Schedule of Fees
- Coverage
- Superior Court felony criminal cases and larger civil suits filed in Barnstable County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
3195 Main St., P.O. Box 425, Barnstable, MA 02630; Clerk's Office (508) 375-6684. Free parking in the court complex. Verified on Mass.gov on 2026-09-13.
Register of Probate
Barnstable Probate and Family Court — Register of Probate
- Cost
- Free docket lookup on MassCourts; $2.50 per page for attested copies from the registry
- Coverage
- Wills, estates, guardianship, divorce, custody, paternity, and adoption cases for Barnstable County
- Records
- Probate, Family
3195 Main St., P.O. Box 346, Barnstable, MA 02630. Register's Office (508) 375-6710; section lines listed on Mass.gov: probate and estates (508) 375-6725, guardianships (508) 375-6728, domestic relations and divorce (508) 375-6721, paternity (508) 375-6723; registry email barnstableprobate@jud.state.ma.us. Verified on Mass.gov on 2026-09-13.
Other courts
MassCourts — District Court case search (Barnstable County divisions)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor and smaller civil cases from the Barnstable, Falmouth, and Orleans District Court divisions
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
No division has its own docket website; all are searched through the statewide MassCourts portal, filtered by court location.
What is available online
MassCourts covers docket entries for Barnstable County Superior Court, District Court, and Probate and Family Court cases entered into the Trial Court's electronic system. The portal shows filings, hearing dates, and dispositions, but not scanned images of most documents, so copies of the actual papers still come from the clerk or register. Because three different offices share the Main Street complex, use the court name on the MassCourts case header to pick the right one before calling. Older paper cases that predate electronic docketing do not appear online and must be requested from the office that holds them.
Which clerk has your record
In Massachusetts, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Massachusetts page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court | Felony criminal cases; Civil actions generally above $50,000; Medical malpractice and labor disputes | Superior Court Clerk's Office (Clerk of Courts) for the county |
| District Court | Misdemeanors and lower-level felonies; Civil claims up to $50,000; Restraining and harassment prevention orders | Clerk-Magistrate of the District Court division |
| Boston Municipal Court | Misdemeanors and lower-level felonies in Boston; Civil claims up to $50,000; Restraining orders | Clerk-Magistrate of the Boston Municipal Court division |
| Probate and Family Court | Divorce, custody, and child support; Paternity and adoption; Wills, estates, and guardianship | Register of Probate for the county |
| Housing Court | Eviction (summary process); Code enforcement; Small claims involving housing conditions | Clerk-Magistrate of the Housing Court division |
| Land Court | Title registration; Zoning and land use appeals; Foreclosure of mortgages (servicemembers) | Recorder of the Land Court |
| Juvenile Court | Delinquency; Child welfare (care and protection); Youthful offender cases | Clerk-Magistrate of the Juvenile Court division |
Request records in person or by mail
Barnstable County clerk offices
Barnstable County Court Complex, 3195 Main St, Barnstable, MA 02630. Superior Court Clerk mail: P.O. Box 425, Barnstable, MA 02630. Probate and Family Court Register mail: P.O. Box 346, Barnstable, MA 02630
Phone: Superior Court Clerk's Office: (508) 375-6684; Probate and Family Court Register's Office: (508) 375-6710
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Superior Court Clerk and Probate and Family Court Register)
Superior Court (felony and larger civil) records. Request copies from the clerk's office at 3195 Main Street, Barnstable, in person, by phone at (508) 375-6684, or by mail to P.O. Box 425, Barnstable, MA 02630. Provide the docket number or the party names and filing year, list the documents you need, and say whether you want plain or attested copies. Attested copies are $2.50 per page and plain copies $0.05 per page under the Trial Court's Uniform Schedule of Fees; a certificate of judgment is $20.00. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with mail requests.
District Court (misdemeanor and smaller civil) records. Contact the clerk-magistrate of the division that heard the case — Barnstable, Falmouth, or Orleans District Court. Each keeps its own file, and the Superior Court clerk cannot retrieve a District Court record even though Barnstable District Court is in the same complex.
Probate, estate, divorce, and custody records. Contact the Register of Probate at (508) 375-6710, or call the section line for the case type: estates (508) 375-6725, guardianships (508) 375-6728, divorce (508) 375-6721, paternity (508) 375-6723. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 346, Barnstable, MA 02630. Most probate files are public; financial statements and certain family-law filings are impounded and will not be released.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.05 per page for an unattested copy or printout of court documents, records, or other papers held by the clerk, register, or recorder |
| Certified copy | $2.50 per page for an attested (certified) copy of a document or docket sheet; $20.00 for a certificate of orders, decrees, rulings, or judgments |
Fees are set in the Trial Court's Uniform Schedule of Fees under General Laws Chapter 262, Section 4B, and apply in every Trial Court department; the schedule was last amended effective November 1, 2016. Other listed items include $50.00 for a transcript of judgment, $5.00 for a PDF or other electronic copy of a document (plus $4.00 if a CD is mailed), and $10.00 per case per day for electronic access to an audio recording of a hearing. Confirm accepted payment methods with the specific clerk's office or registry before mailing a request. Figures confirmed on the Mass.gov Uniform Schedule of Fees page on 2026-09-13.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Most Massachusetts trial-court case records are presumptively open, but several categories are removed from public view:
The Massachusetts guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Barnstable County court records kept?
At the county court complex, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable, which houses the Superior Court Clerk's Office (mail: P.O. Box 425), the Probate and Family Court Register (mail: P.O. Box 346), and Barnstable District Court. Each office keeps only its own files.
Which District Courts serve Cape Cod?
Barnstable, Falmouth, and Orleans District Court. Each keeps its own case files and is searched through the statewide MassCourts portal rather than a county website.
Who do I call about a Barnstable County estate or divorce file?
The Barnstable Probate and Family Court Register's Office at (508) 375-6710, or the direct section line: estates (508) 375-6725, guardianships (508) 375-6728, divorce (508) 375-6721, paternity (508) 375-6723.
Can I search Barnstable County court records online for free?
Yes. MassCourts (masscourts.org) covers Superior Court, District Court, and Probate and Family Court dockets for the county without registration or a fee, though it shows docket entries rather than full document images.
Sources
- Barnstable County Superior Court — Mass.gov location page — https://www.mass.gov/locations/barnstable-county-superior-court
- Barnstable Probate and Family Court — Mass.gov location page — https://www.mass.gov/locations/barnstable-probate-and-family-court
- Trial Court Uniform Schedule of Fees — Mass.gov — https://www.mass.gov/info-details/uniform-schedule-of-fees
- MassCourts / eAccess Public Portal — https://www.masscourts.org/eservices/home.page
- Mass.gov — Massachusetts law about state courts — https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-state-courts
- Mass.gov — Search Court Dockets, Calendars and Case Information — https://www.mass.gov/search-court-dockets-calendars-and-case-information
- Massachusetts Appellate Courts Public Case Search — https://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/
- iCORI (DCJIS) — https://icori.chs.state.ma.us/
- Mass.gov — Request CORI as an individual — https://www.mass.gov/how-to/request-cori-as-an-individual
- General Laws, Chapter 6, Section 172 — Availability of criminal offender record information — https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleII/Chapter6/Section172
- General Laws, Chapter 276, Section 100A — Sealing of criminal records — https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleII/Chapter276/Section100A
- General Laws, Chapter 276, Section 100E — Expungement of criminal records — https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleII/Chapter276/Section100E
- General Laws, Chapter 262, Section 4B — Uniform Schedule of Fees — https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleVI/Chapter262/Section4B
- United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts — https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Massachusetts counties.