Bristol County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Bristol County, Massachusetts, with a population of 577,000 is home to a comprehensive and efficient court system designed to serve a diverse and growing community. The Bristol County Court system features five types of court; Superior Court, District Court, Family and Probate Court, Juvenile Court, and Housing Court.

Bristol County Superior Court, located in Fall River, New Bradford and Taunton, is the highest trial court in the entire county. The court handles criminal matters regarded as serious felonies or that have a possible sentence of more than five years, abuse prevention proceedings, significant civil litigation, claims for money damages of more than $25,000, and jury trials. The District Court handles criminal cases such as felonies, punishable by up to five years of incarceration, misdemeanors, and traffic offenses. They also handle civil cases like general civil claims for less than $25,000, abuse prevention, mental health, and enforcement of money judgments. The Probate and Family Courts have jurisdiction over domestic relations, abuse prevention, probate matters, adoption, and guardianships. The Housing Courts have limited jurisdiction over the health and safety of residences, housing issues such as landlord-tenant disputes, and housing code violations. The Juvenile Courts handle cases involving minors, such as juvenile delinquencies and child protection cases.

Bristol County has a crime rate of about 3,000 incidents per 100,000 residents; slightly higher than the national average. These numbers emphasize the importance of an efficient and well-organized judicial system to maintain public order. Bristol County court records are well maintained and are publicly available, reflecting the transparency and accountability of the judicial system. The Bristol County Clerk of Courts oversees the maintenance of all court records while ensuring accuracy and reliability. Public access to these records is available on the Massachusetts Court System website, where individuals can search for information about civil, criminal, and traffic cases. Closed court records are however not accessible to the public except by obtaining a special court order or permission. This system ensures that the public has access to essential information while protecting the confidentiality of sensitive data.

To summarize, Bristol County's judicial system is well organized, serving the legal needs of its residents. With the different courts handling different cases, the court system ensures efficiency and specialization while handling specific legal matters. As Bristol County continues to grow, the courts still remain the cornerstone of the county's commitment to justice and public service.