Search Plymouth County Court Docket
Plymouth County court docket records are maintained at courts in Brockton, Plymouth, Hingham, and Wareham. The county has two Superior Court locations and four District Courts, each with its own docket. Searching for a case in Plymouth County means knowing which court heard it, since records are not shared between locations. The state's free eAccess portal at masscourts.org covers civil cases across all Plymouth County courts. This page covers where courts are located, how to search dockets, what documents you can request, and what types of cases appear in the Plymouth County court docket.
Plymouth County Overview
Plymouth County Court Locations
Plymouth County operates two Superior Courts. The Plymouth Superior Court sits at 52 Obery Street in Plymouth and handles major civil and criminal cases for the southern part of the county. The Brockton Superior Court at 72 Belmont Street serves the northern and inland parts of the county. Both courts handle jury trials and felony criminal cases. The Plymouth District Court shares the building at 52 Obery Street with Plymouth Superior Court and the Plymouth Probate and Family Court. This shared campus means all three courts serve the same address but maintain separate dockets and clerks.
The Plymouth County Probate and Family Court is also at 52 Obery Street. It handles all divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, and estate cases for the county. The District Courts serve the rest of the county: Hingham District Court covers the South Shore communities, Wareham District Court covers the southeastern area, and Brockton District Court handles the city of Brockton. All clerk offices are open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
| Court | Address |
|---|---|
| Plymouth Superior Court | 52 Obery St, Plymouth, MA 02360 |
| Brockton Superior Court | 72 Belmont St, Brockton, MA 02301 |
| Plymouth Probate & Family Court | 52 Obery St, Plymouth, MA 02360 |
| Brockton District Court | 215 Main St, Brockton, MA 02301 |
| Hingham District Court | 28 Main St, Hingham, MA 02043 |
| Plymouth District Court | 52 Obery St, Plymouth, MA 02360 |
| Wareham District Court | 2200 Cranberry Hwy, West Wareham, MA 02576 |
How to Search Plymouth County Court Dockets
The Massachusetts eAccess portal is the starting point for most Plymouth County docket searches. The portal is free, requires no login, and covers all Trial Court departments in the county including both Superior Courts, the District Courts, and the Probate and Family Court. For civil cases, you can search by the full name of any party. For any case type, you can search by case number if you have it.
Criminal case name searching is not available through the public internet portal. To find a criminal case without the case number, contact the clerk's office at Brockton Superior Court or Plymouth Superior Court directly, depending on where the case was likely filed. You can reach Brockton Superior Court's clerk by phone or visit in person at 72 Belmont Street. In-person access to courthouse public terminals gives broader search options than online access.
The official guide on how to search court dockets explains the search steps in detail. The court dockets overview page lists what information is available for each case type. Both are useful if you are new to searching the docket system.
The Brockton District Court page on mass.gov provides a clear example of what each Plymouth County court listing contains, including location, department codes, and contact information.
The Brockton District Court page on the state website lists court hours, address, and department details for this busy Plymouth County location.
Checking the court's official listing page before visiting ensures you have the right address and hours, which can vary around holidays.
Note: If you are searching for a probate or estate case, the Probate and Family Court at 52 Obery Street in Plymouth holds all Plymouth County probate records, regardless of where the deceased lived within the county.
Requesting Copies of Plymouth County Docket Documents
Court docket documents in Plymouth County can be requested in person at the appropriate courthouse, by mail, or in some cases electronically through the eAccess portal. Copy fees follow the Massachusetts Trial Court's statewide fee schedule. Non-certified copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $2.50 per page. Certificates of orders or decrees are $20.00 each. Electronic documents downloaded through eAccess cost $5.00 per document.
Mail requests should be sent to the clerk's office at the relevant courthouse. Include the case name or number, the specific documents you need, and a check or money order for the estimated fees. Most mail requests are processed within 5 to 10 business days. Complex requests or those involving older archived cases may take longer. For urgent needs, visiting in person is the faster option. Staff at the clerk's office can search the docket, print documents, and collect fees on the spot.
Massachusetts public records law at M.G.L. c. 66, ยง 10 gives members of the public the right to access court records. Agencies must respond within 10 business days of a public records request. Most court docket records are public. Certain records, such as sealed cases, juvenile records, and some adoption filings, are restricted. You can also submit a formal public records request through the Secretary of State's public records portal if needed.
Case Types in the Plymouth County Court Docket
The Plymouth County court docket covers civil, criminal, probate, and family law cases. Major civil cases and felony criminal matters go through Brockton Superior Court or Plymouth Superior Court depending on where the case originated. Smaller civil disputes and misdemeanor criminal matters are filed in one of the four District Courts. The Probate and Family Court docket at Plymouth covers all family-related cases countywide.
The range of cases in the Plymouth County docket is broad. Criminal dockets include arraignments, pre-trial hearings, trial dates, and sentencing records. Civil dockets cover contract disputes, tort claims, property disputes, and small claims. Probate dockets list each step in estate administration or guardianship proceedings. Family court dockets track divorce filings, custody modifications, and support orders over time. Each docket entry shows the date, the action taken, and the names of the parties and attorneys involved.
Common case categories in the Plymouth County court docket:
- Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases
- Civil lawsuits and contract disputes
- Small claims matters
- Divorce, custody, and support filings
- Estate probate and will contests
- Guardianship and conservatorship
- Restraining orders and abuse prevention orders
For background on how the state handles public access to electronic court data, the Boston Bar Journal has covered the topic in depth. The article is useful for understanding what the eAccess portal does and does not show for different case types.
Resources for Plymouth County Court Users
Plymouth County has several legal aid and self-help resources for people navigating the court system. The Trial Court's self-help centers can explain docket entries, help identify the right forms, and point you to the correct court department. These centers serve people who are representing themselves without an attorney.
Legal Aid of Massachusetts and South Coastal Counties Legal Services provide free legal assistance to qualifying residents in Plymouth County. They handle civil cases including family law, housing, and benefits. For federal court matters, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts maintains its own docket system through PACER, separate from the state courts. Federal cases involving Plymouth County residents would not appear in the masscourts.org system.
The MassachusettsCourtRecords.org site offers additional context on how the state's court record system is organized and what types of records are available at each court level. It can be helpful for understanding the difference between District Court and Superior Court records before you begin your search.
Cities in Plymouth County
Two cities in Plymouth County have individual court docket pages on this site. Both access the Superior and District Courts within Plymouth County depending on the type of case.
Other communities in Plymouth County such as Hingham, Wareham, Bridgewater, and Middleborough access court dockets through the same courthouse network but do not have separate city pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
Plymouth County borders several other Massachusetts counties. If you are uncertain which county court holds a case, the filing location and the residences of the parties generally determine the correct jurisdiction.