Understanding Civil Court Records in Massachusetts

Civil court records in Massachusetts are kept by the judiciary and contain documentation of non-criminal legal disputes between people, businesses, or government agencies. These records are generally considered public under Trial Court Rule XIV: Uniform Rules on Public Access to Court Records. Most civil court records are available to the public online or in person at the court where the case was filed.

Civil Court Record Statistics Reported by Massachusetts Courts

Massachusetts has a Court Data Metrics & Reports page that reveals the statistics of all filings received by the courts within a fiscal year. Massachusetts courts recorded about 779,568 case filings in FY 2024, of which 271,219 were civil (comprising general civil and specialized civil matters). Of the civil filings, 96,964 were linked to small claims, 55,933 to general civil cases, and 14,461 to mental health cases. Further, the state courts received 19,656 divorce case filings, and probate matters totaled 59,442.

The table shows the civil case filings handled by courts in Massachusetts in FY 2024:

Court	Civil Case Filings	Filings Counted
Probate and Family Court	123,747	All
Superior Court	14,092	General Civil, Other Specialized Civil, and Restraining/Harassment Orders
District Court	158,439	General Civil, Small Claims, Other Specialized Civil, and Restraining/Harassment Orders
Boston Municipal Court	18,330	General Civil, Small Claims, Civil Remands & Other Civil, and Restraining/Harassment Orders
Housing Court	4,263	General Civil and Small Claims

How Civil Records Differ from Criminal Records in Massachusetts

Civil court records in Massachusetts serve a distinct purpose from that of criminal court records. Civil records document disputes between private parties or entities where one party seeks compensation or another legal remedy. In contrast, criminal court records include cases brought by the state against individuals accused of breaking the law. Criminal cases focus on determining guilt and imposing consequences, including fines, probation, or imprisonment. The Massachusetts trial court system handles both types of cases and manages their accompanying records.

The table below shows the differences between civil and criminal records:

Category	Civil Court Record	Criminal Court Record
Purpose	Resolves disagreements among private parties	Prosecute offenses
Case Parties	Individuals, companies, or organizations	The State of Massachusetts and the Accused
Potential Outcome	Financial judgment or equitable relief (e.g., injunction)	Finding of guilt (conviction) or nonguilt (acquittal)
Public Access	Public, with sealed or confidential information blocked from general access	Public, but juvenile and sealed cases are exempt. Other restrictions may apply

Structure of the Civil Court System in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts court system comprises several trial courts that manage civil matters. These include the district, Boston municipal, land, housing, probate, and family courts. The table below shows the civil cases handled by these courts.

Court	Type of Civil Cases
Superior Court	Civil actions over $50,000 and civil matters where parties seek equitable relief.
District Court	Lesser actions that do not exceed $50,000 in damages, and small claims cases ($7,000)
Probate and Family Court	Divorce, child support, custody, parenting time, paternity, conservatorship, adoption, abuse prevention, wills ending parental rights, estates, trusts, guardianships, and name changes
Housing Court	Small claims, eviction, civil actions involving breach of contract, personal injury, discrimination, or property damage, and code enforcement actions
Land Court	Real estate cases
Boston Municipal Court	Civil cases arising within the City of Boston and the Town of Winthrop

Public Access to Civil Court Documents in Massachusetts

Civil court records in Massachusetts are generally presumed public under the Uniform Rules on Public Access to Court Records (Trial Court Rule XIV). These documents are available for inspection and copying by anyone during the court's regular business hours. Access to these documents may be available online or in person.

However, some civil court records are excluded from public access. Examples of such excluded records are

Adoption
Mediator records
Child protection orders
Abuse prevention orders
Guardian ad litem reports
Drug and alcohol treatment records
Medical health and hospital records
Civil commitment and mental health reports
Trade secrets and other matters in connection with discovery

How to Lookup Massachusetts Civil Court Records

The public can search Massachusetts civil court documents using multiple official sources managed by the state judiciary. The Massachusetts trial courts provide two types of access to civil court records:

Remote Access

The public can use the Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal to find civil case information without charges. Users must select "Court Department," "Court Division," and "Court Location" before using a name, case type, or case number to perform a search.

Registered Massachusetts attorneys can also utilize this portal to conduct searches, but they will need to log in with their username and password.

Courthouse Access

Record seekers can visit the courthouse where a civil case was heard to obtain copies of a civil court record. Visits should occur within the court's business hours. The visitor can either use the computer kiosk to view civil case information for free or visit the counter to seek the clerk's assistance.

Additionally, access may be available by mail. For instance, the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court offers the public the option of accessing civil records by mail. Interested parties will need to submit a filled-out Request for Copies Form (PFC 18) and pay the appropriate fees.

Finally, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court manages court archives where individuals can find historic civil case files. Some of these files are available online, while others can be obtained by submitting the Court Archives Information Request Form.

Types of Civil Cases Filed in Massachusetts Courts

Below are the common types of civil cases filed in the Massachusetts trial courts:

Contract Disputes: Contract disputes may arise when one party alleges non-compliance with the terms of a legally binding agreement, such as a lease, commercial contract, or service arrangement. Claims involving $50,000 or less are typically heard in the District Court or Boston Municipal Court. More intricate issues or those exceeding $50,000 are handled by the Superior Court, which presides over larger and more complex civil cases.
Torts: These address civil wrongs, including bodily injury, property damage, and defamation. The District or Boston Municipal Courts handle cases of lesser severity, while more substantial or high-value cases are adjudicated in the Superior Court.
Landlord-Tenant: Evictions, unpaid rent, and lease violations are common issues between landlords and tenants. While the Housing Court primarily handles these cases, they may also be heard in the District and Boston Municipal Courts.
Small Claims: Minor disputes involving amounts up to $7,000, frequently settled without legal representation.Small Claims sessions are handled by the District Court, Boston Municipal Court, or Housing Court and may later be reviewed in the Superior Court if appealed.
Probate and Family Law Cases: Divorce, child custody, wills, and estates are all examples of probate and family law cases. These are handled only by the Probate and Family Courts.
Real Estate/Property Disputes: Including those concerning ownership, boundary disagreements, or zoning. Such proceedings are typically heard in the Land Court, with more complex issues referred to the Superior Courts.
Administrative Appeals: Individuals or corporations may challenge decisions made by state or municipal bodies. These appeals are typically reviewed by the Superior Court.

Information Captured in Massachusetts Civil Court Files

Civil court records in Massachusetts contain comprehensive information about non-criminal legal disputes brought before the state's trial courts. These documents are usually kept and indexed by the Clerk of Court in the county or judicial district where the case was filed. Below is some information captured in Massachusetts civil court files:

Case Information: Case title, initiating action, case type, file date, case status, case judge's name, status date
Party Information: Case parties' name and party attorney's name, address, bar code, and phone number
Disposition Date: Case disposition, disposition date, and case judge's name
Filings: Motions, complaints, answers, calendars, judgments, and orders

Retention and Archiving of Civil Court Records in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Rule 1:11 governs the retention and archiving of civil court records. This Rule establishes timelines for the retention and destruction of case files. Permanent civil court records do not have a specific retention period. Examples are adoption, paternity, conservatorship trusts, old case records filed before 1800, orders and judgments in equity, and estate administration. Non-permanent civil court records include

Guardian ad litem reports: 10 years
Equity matters (excluding orders and judgments): 20 years
Divorce or annulment action (excluding judgments): 20 years
Minor guardianship cases: 10 years or when the minor reaches 20
Fiduciary account subsidiary schedules (except cover pages): 10 years
Supplemental Probate and Family Court Rule 401, i.e., financial statements: 10 years
Guardianship of an incapacitated person: 10 years or until 5 years after the incapacitated person's death
Complaints filed pursuant to G. L. c. 208 and G. L. c. 209C (excluding acknowledgments and agreements): 20 years