Hampshire County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Hampshire County, located in the western part of Massachusetts, has a population of about 153,900 people. Part of the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts, its county seat is Northampton. Its court system serves its residents with integrity and professionalism, handling all types of cases to ensure justice and order in the community. The court system in the county is made up of Superior Courts, District Courts, Probate and Family Courts, Housing Courts, and Juvenile Courts.

The Superior Court is the trial court which handles major criminal cases, significant civil cases and appeals from lower courts. The Northampton and Eastern Hampshire District Courts handle misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases under $25,000, and traffic violations. The Probate and Family Court handle family law cases, divorce, child custody and estates. The Housing Courts have limited jurisdiction over matters related to the health and safety of residences, real property, goods, and services related to real property. The Juvenile Courts handle cases involving minors, delinquency, abuse and neglect.

Hampshire County's crime rate stands at 25.35 incidents per 1,000 residents. The statistics for the courts in Hampshire County show that the Superior Court has about 300 cases a year, that's a big part of the county's court system. The District Court has a high volume of cases, about 11,000 criminal and civil, each year. The Probate and Family Court has about 2,600 cases a year, that's a lot of family law cases while the Juvenile Court has about 900 cases. These numbers give you an idea of the courts' workload and how important they are to keeping the community in order.

Court records in Hampshire County are easily accessible. The Clerk of Courts has all the records for the Superior Court and the District Court. You can access these records online through the Massachusetts Court System website or in person at the Clerk's office. This way the public can get the information they need while keeping the court documents safe. Some cases are sealed and confidential due to the sensitivity of their information within. Court orders or specila permission is required to access confidential or sealed records which the County Clerk can assist with. An in person visit is required to start that process.

Summarily, Hampshire County has a wide array of courts that handle all types of cases. With courts specializing in different areas of law, the county is able to administer justice efficiently. Access to court documents also helps the county build public trust with residents.