| Superior Court Clerk | Hampshire County Superior Court Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Register of Probate | Hampshire Probate and Family Court — Register of Probate |
| Clerk address | Superior Court Clerk: 15 Gothic St, Northampton, MA 01061. Probate and Family Court Register: 15 Atwood Dr, Northampton, MA 01060 |
| Phone | Superior Court Clerk's Office: (413) 584-5810; Probate and Family Court Register's Office: (413) 586-8500 |
| Hours | Superior Court Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Probate and Family Court Register: Monday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Tuesday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| 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 |
Hampshire County, home to Northampton, Amherst, and the Five Colleges, keeps its trial-court records in two different Northampton buildings. The Hampshire County Superior Court Clerk's Office is in the historic courthouse at 15 Gothic Street downtown, while the Hampshire Probate and Family Court Register's Office moved to a modern building at 15 Atwood Drive, off Route 5 near the Interstate 91 interchange. The similar street numbers cause frequent mix-ups: a felony or civil file is on Gothic Street, and a will, estate, divorce, or custody file is on Atwood Drive.
Misdemeanors and civil claims up to $50,000 are heard in two District Court divisions, Northampton District Court and Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, each with its own clerk-magistrate. The probate registry also staffs a satellite office at the Belchertown courthouse on the first and third Thursday morning of each month, which is useful for eastern-county residents who need to file or ask a question in person but is not where the case file lives.
Housing matters go to the Western Housing Court, which is a regional court rather than a county office. For any case type, a free MassCourts docket search will show the court name and location on the case header, which tells you which of the two Northampton buildings, or which District Court, to contact.
Search Hampshire County court records online
Superior Court Clerk
Hampshire 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 Hampshire County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
15 Gothic St., Northampton, MA 01061; Clerk's Office (413) 584-5810. Metered street parking and paid lots nearby. Verified on Mass.gov on 2026-09-13.
Register of Probate
Hampshire 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 Hampshire County
- Records
- Probate, Family
15 Atwood Dr., Northampton, MA 01060; Register's Office (413) 586-8500. Main office hours Monday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Tuesday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Satellite office at Eastern Hampshire District Court, 205 State St., Belchertown, open the first and third Thursday of each month, 9:00 a.m.–noon. Verified on Mass.gov on 2026-09-13.
Other courts
MassCourts — District Court case search (Hampshire County divisions)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor and smaller civil cases from the Northampton and Eastern Hampshire (Belchertown) District Court divisions
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
No division has its own docket website; both are searched through the statewide MassCourts portal, filtered by court location.
What is available online
MassCourts covers docket entries for Hampshire 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 the Superior Court clerk and the probate registry are in different buildings with similar street numbers, use the court name on the MassCourts case header to pick the right office. 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
Hampshire County clerk offices
Superior Court Clerk: 15 Gothic St, Northampton, MA 01061. Probate and Family Court Register: 15 Atwood Dr, Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: Superior Court Clerk's Office: (413) 584-5810; Probate and Family Court Register's Office: (413) 586-8500
Hours: Superior Court Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Probate and Family Court Register: Monday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Tuesday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Superior Court (felony and larger civil) records. Request copies from the clerk's office at 15 Gothic Street, Northampton, in person, by phone at (413) 584-5810, or by mail. 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 — Northampton District Court or Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. Each keeps its own file, and the Superior Court clerk cannot retrieve a District Court record.
Probate, estate, divorce, and custody records. Contact the Register of Probate at 15 Atwood Drive, Northampton, (413) 586-8500, in person, by phone, or by mail. The registry also offers a virtual registry by video for questions, and staff visit the Belchertown satellite office on the first and third Thursday morning of each month, though case files stay in Northampton. 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
Why are there two 15s in Hampshire County court addresses?
Coincidence. The Superior Court Clerk's Office is at 15 Gothic Street in downtown Northampton, and the Probate and Family Court Register is at 15 Atwood Drive near the Interstate 91 interchange. Felony and civil files are on Gothic Street; wills, estates, and divorce files are on Atwood Drive.
Which District Courts serve Hampshire County?
Northampton District Court and Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. Each keeps its own case files and is searched through the statewide MassCourts portal rather than a county website.
Can I handle a Hampshire County probate matter in Belchertown?
The Register of Probate staffs a satellite office at Eastern Hampshire District Court, 205 State Street, Belchertown, on the first and third Thursday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Case files remain at the main registry at 15 Atwood Drive, Northampton.
Can I search Hampshire 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
- Hampshire County Superior Court — Mass.gov location page — https://www.mass.gov/locations/hampshire-county-superior-court
- Hampshire Probate and Family Court — Mass.gov location page — https://www.mass.gov/locations/hampshire-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.