Hampden County Court Docket Records
Hampden County court docket records are held at courts in Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Palmer, and Westfield. Springfield serves as the hub for the county's Superior Court, Probate and Family Court, and main District Court, all sharing one courthouse at 50 State Street. This county covers the second-largest metro area in Massachusetts and sees a high volume of civil, criminal, and family court filings each year. You can search most civil case dockets at no cost through the state's eAccess portal. This page explains the court locations, how to find and request docket records, and what types of cases appear in the Hampden County system.
Hampden County Overview
Hampden County Court Locations
The Hampden Superior Court at 50 State Street in Springfield handles all major civil and criminal cases for the county. It shares the building with the Hampden County Probate and Family Court and the Springfield District Court. Having three courts in one building is convenient for people who need to move between departments, but it can also be confusing. Make sure you know which clerk's office you need before you go in.
The District Courts spread across the county to serve different communities. The Chicopee District Court is at 30 Church Street in Chicopee. Holyoke District Court is at 20 Court Street in Holyoke. Palmer District Court at 235 Sykes Street serves the eastern rural towns of Hampden County. Westfield District Court at 224 Elm Street handles cases from the western communities. Each District Court is the right place for local criminal matters and civil disputes below the Superior Court dollar threshold. All clerk offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
| Court | Address |
|---|---|
| Hampden Superior Court | 50 State St, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Hampden Probate & Family Court | 50 State St, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Springfield District Court | 50 State St, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Chicopee District Court | 30 Church St, Chicopee, MA 01020 |
| Holyoke District Court | 20 Court St, Holyoke, MA 01040 |
| Palmer District Court | 235 Sykes St, Palmer, MA 01069 |
| Westfield District Court | 224 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085 |
Searching the Hampden County Court Docket
The eAccess portal at masscourts.org covers all Hampden County Trial Court locations. Use it to search civil cases by party name or any case type by case number. The search is free and does not require registration. It works for Superior Court, District Court, and Probate and Family Court records. The portal shows case status, docket entries, and party information for most public civil filings.
Criminal case name searches are not available through the public portal. If you need to find a criminal case by name and do not have the case number, you will need to call or visit the clerk's office at the appropriate court. For major criminal cases in Hampden County, that means contacting Hampden Superior Court at (413) 748-7745 or visiting 50 State Street in Springfield. District Court criminal cases go through the relevant District Court based on the city or town where the alleged offense occurred.
The Springfield District Court docket handles a large volume of cases as the main urban court in the county. The screenshot below shows the court's official page on the state court directory, which is the best source for current contact and hours information.
The Springfield District Court page on mass.gov lists department information, address details, and contact numbers for this central Hampden County location.
Checking the court's official listing before you visit or call helps confirm the right department for your case type.
The Chicopee District Court handles cases from one of the county's largest cities. The screenshot below shows its official state court directory page.
The Chicopee District Court page provides address, department, and contact information for Chicopee-area cases.
Cases from Chicopee are filed here, not at Springfield District Court, even though the two cities are adjacent.
The state's guide on how to search court dockets and the court dockets overview page both provide step-by-step instructions that apply to Hampden County searches.
Note: Public access terminals at the Springfield courthouse give fuller access to case records than the internet portal, including some record types that are not available for remote viewing.
Copy Fees and Request Methods in Hampden County
Hampden County courts follow the statewide Trial Court fee schedule for copies. Non-certified copies cost $0.05 per page for most documents. Certified copies are $2.50 per page. A certificate of an order or decree costs $20.00. Electronic documents through the eAccess portal are $5.00 per document. Audio recordings of hearings are $50.50 for up to 90 minutes, with a $4.00 charge added if the recording is mailed on CD. These fees apply at all Hampden County court locations.
To request copies by mail, send a written request to the clerk's office at the specific courthouse where the case was filed. The main mailing address for Hampden Superior Court is P.O. Box 559, Springfield, MA 01102. Include the case name, case number, what documents you need, and payment for the estimated fee. Most mail requests are processed within 5 to 10 business days. For time-sensitive needs, visiting in person at 50 State Street is faster. Staff can search the docket, make copies, and accept payment on the same visit.
Under Massachusetts public records law at M.G.L. c. 66, ยง 10, government agencies have 10 business days to respond to public records requests. Court docket records are public unless sealed by court order. You do not need to be a party to the case to request copies. Some records such as juvenile cases and certain sealed criminal matters have restricted access under Trial Court rules and state law.
What You Find in the Hampden County Court Docket
The Hampden County court docket covers a full range of case types across its seven court locations. Superior Court cases include major felony criminal prosecutions and large civil claims. The Probate and Family Court docket lists divorce filings, guardianship petitions, estate proceedings, and custody matters. District Court dockets handle the bulk of everyday criminal and civil cases. Each docket entry shows the date, the action taken, and the relevant parties and attorneys.
Civil cases in the docket include contract disputes, personal injury lawsuits, property cases, and small claims. Criminal dockets show each stage of a case from arraignment to sentencing. Family court dockets are useful for tracking ongoing custody modifications and support orders. Probate dockets list each step in estate administration, from the initial petition to the final decree. The docket is a running log of everything that has happened in a case, making it the best way to understand the current status of any ongoing matter.
Key case types you will find in the Hampden County court docket:
- Felony criminal cases at Hampden Superior Court
- Misdemeanor and local criminal cases at District Courts
- Civil lawsuits, both large and small claims
- Divorce and separation filings
- Child custody and support cases
- Estate and guardianship proceedings
- Abuse prevention and restraining orders
For more background on how Massachusetts courts manage public access to docket records, the Boston Bar Journal's article on electronic judicial records covers the policy and practical questions around remote access to court data statewide.
Legal Help in Hampden County
Hampden County has several resources for people who need help with court matters. The Western Massachusetts Law Library is located at 50 State Street in Springfield, right in the courthouse. It provides free legal research assistance to the public and is a good first stop if you need to look up statutes, case law, or court rules. The library's staff can help you find what you need but cannot give legal advice.
Community Legal Aid serves western Massachusetts including Hampden County. They offer free civil legal help to income-eligible residents, covering family law, housing, and benefits cases. The Massachusetts Bar Association's lawyer referral service at (617) 654-0400 can connect you with local attorneys. MassachusettsCourtRecords.org offers additional information on how to search and access court records across the state. For federal cases in the region, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts maintains its own separate docket system through PACER.
The Secretary of State's public records request page explains how to file a formal public records request if you need to pursue that route for court documents.
Cities in Hampden County
Two cities in Hampden County have individual court docket pages on this site. Both have significant court activity given their size within the county.
Other communities in Hampden County such as Holyoke, Westfield, Palmer, and Agawam access court dockets through the same courthouse network but do not have separate city pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
Hampden County borders several other Massachusetts counties and the state lines of Connecticut and New York. Cases from border areas occasionally involve questions about which state and county has jurisdiction.