Massachusetts Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records
Massachusetts • Criminal Records Guide
Find Massachusetts Criminal Records Through the Correct Court or State Agency
Looking for a criminal case, court docket, your own CORI report, a certified disposition, an incarcerated person or a sex-offender registry record? Massachusetts uses different systems for each task. Choosing the correct one can save you an unsuccessful search.
Start with MassCourts when you have a criminal docket number. Use iCORI for authorized Massachusetts criminal-history requests. For an unidentified case, you may need a courthouse public-access terminal rather than an online name search.
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Choose your starting point
Where to Search Massachusetts Criminal Records
Unlike some states, Massachusetts does not provide unrestricted online defendant-name searching across its criminal trial courts. The correct route depends on whether you need a particular case, a criminal-history report or a court-certified document.
I have a criminal docket number
Search available Boston Municipal Court, District Court or Superior Court records through MassCourts.
Search MassCourts →I only know someone’s name
Locate the correct courthouse and ask about public-access terminal searching or the permitted record-request process.
Find a courthouse →I need my CORI or an authorized CORI check
Use Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) instructions and iCORI registration.
Request CORI →I need a certified disposition or docket
Request the document from the Clerk-Magistrate or Clerk’s Office of the court where the case began.
Find the court →I need state custody information
Begin with Massachusetts Department of Correction resources, including its VINELink entry route.
DOC resources →I need a U.S. District Court criminal case
Use PACER, because federal criminal proceedings are not indexed through MassCourts or state CORI alone.
PACER case search →Interactive helper
Find the Official Massachusetts Record System
Select your task below. This helper does not perform a criminal-record search or transmit personal information.
Trial Court access
How to Search MassCourts for Criminal Cases
The Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access portal at masscourts.org provides electronic information on eligible public cases. The Massachusetts Court System explains that the portal may show parties, events, docket entries and dispositions, with some documents accessible depending on court and case type.
Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access
Start with an exact criminal docket number when possible.
- Open masscourts.org.
Make sure the page is labeled Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access.
- Complete the “I’m not a robot” check.
Use the visible security checkbox before entering the search system.
- Choose “Click Here to search public records.”
Do not choose Quick Pay when your goal is to read a docket.
- Select the court department.
For a criminal case, this may be Boston Municipal Court, District Court or Superior Court. The correct court depends on where the prosecution is pending or was filed.
- Choose the division and court location.
These fields may appear after selecting the department. Use information from your court notice, summons or other docket document.
- Use the Case Number search tab.
Enter the complete docket number as shown on the official document. Preserve zeros, letters and formatting when the portal requires them.
- Open the correct result.
Compare court location, case type, docket number, hearing events and disposition details.
- Read later docket activity.
Look for dismissals, pleas, judgments, sentencing, post-disposition activity and other subsequent entries rather than relying on an initial charge alone.
- Contact the Clerk’s Office for the maintained record.
MassCourts says its online information is not the official court record and may not include the newest activity.
DCJIS criminal-history records
Massachusetts CORI and iCORI: What They Are and How to Request Them
CORI means Criminal Offender Record Information. Massachusetts DCJIS administers the iCORI system. Unlike a public case docket, a CORI request is a name-and-date-of-birth criminal record check governed by Massachusetts access rules.
DCJIS says name-based CORI checks provide information about available Massachusetts arraignments. They do not constitute fingerprint-supported nationwide checks. Access to someone else’s CORI depends on the requester’s lawful category and level of authorization.
How to request your own CORI
- Open the official personal CORI request page.
Use Mass.gov’s Request CORI as an Individual instructions.
- Choose the individual account path.
DCJIS instructs online applicants to use a MyMassGov account and complete identity verification.
- Review iCORI terms and training instructions.
Choose the appropriate personal CORI request option. If you cannot complete the online identification process, review the official paper forms.
- Pay the applicable fee or request an eligible waiver.
The official page lists a $25 personal CORI request and a $0 indigent-subject fee-waiver category.
- Submit and retain confirmation details.
DCJIS states requests can take up to 10 business days to process.
- Review your result carefully.
If a disposition is missing or information appears inaccurate, use the official correction process and obtain supporting records from the court.
Name-based CORI
Uses identifying information, including name and date of birth. Results are based on permitted Massachusetts criminal record information and the requester’s access level.
Fingerprint-supported check
Matches fingerprint information and may return records from additional jurisdictions. Its availability depends on a qualifying authorized purpose and the applicable program.
Fees and free access
Are Massachusetts Criminal Records Free?
Searching permitted public docket information through MassCourts does not ordinarily require a search fee. However, a personal CORI, open-access CORI, certified court copy or fingerprint-supported check may have its own fee or waiver conditions.
| Request | Listed fee | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| MassCourts public docket lookup | No ordinary public search charge | Criminal defendant-name searches restricted online |
| Personal CORI | $25 | Your own authorized CORI request |
| Open-access CORI | $50 | Subject to statutory disclosure and request rules |
| Indigent-subject fee waiver | $0 | Requires satisfying the applicable waiver process |
| Private landlord CORI | $25 | Must use the correct authorized request category |
| Court-certified copy | Confirm with court | Cost depends on document and court procedure |
| Federal PACER record | Usage fees may apply | Different system from Massachusetts courts |
Source: DCJIS official fee schedule. Fees and eligibility rules can change; always confirm before payment.
Document requests
How to Get Certified Massachusetts Criminal Court Records
A docket summary may tell you that a charge was dismissed or a judgment entered, but a licensing agency, attorney, employer, immigration authority or another official recipient may require the certified court document rather than a screenshot.
Prepare this information
- Exact court department and division
- Docket or case number
- Defendant’s legal name
- Approximate case year
- Specific requested document
- Whether certification is required
Ask the clerk about
- Public inspection and copy availability
- Certified docket or disposition
- Judgment or sentencing records
- Paper versus digital records
- Copy and certification fees
- Mailing or in-person pickup options
According to Massachusetts court instructions, the official public Trial Court record is obtained through the Clerk, Register or Recorder’s Office of the filing court. The fact that a document is missing online does not necessarily mean it is unavailable for lawful in-person inspection.
Find courthouse contact details ↗Court jurisdiction
Which Massachusetts Court Handles Criminal Cases?
This simplified hierarchy helps with search routing; it is not a complete statement of jurisdiction or appeal pathways. Some criminal matters begin in the District Court or Boston Municipal Court, while felony indictments may be handled in Superior Court. A later appeal is a separate proceeding and may have a different docket number.
For appeals, the Massachusetts Appeals Court allows online docket searching by several identifiers, including party, attorney, lower court and docket number. Those appellate search rules should not be confused with the stricter online defendant-name restrictions for Trial Court criminal records.
Local Massachusetts help
Find the Right Court, Office or Official Contact
When you only know a city or town, use the official courthouse locator to find the court serving that community. Massachusetts court jurisdiction does not always follow a simple county-only search pattern; municipalities may be assigned to a particular District Court division.
Massachusetts DCJIS
200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200
Chelsea, MA 02150
General: (617) 660-4600
CORI support: (617) 660-4640
Appeals Court Clerk’s Office
John Adams Courthouse
One Pemberton Square, Room 1200
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 725-8106
Office details ↗Massachusetts DOC
50 Maple Street
Milford, MA 01757
Headquarters: (508) 422-3300
DOC information ↗Sex Offender Registry Board
P.O. Box 392
North Billerica, MA 01862
Phone: (978) 740-6400
SORB details ↗Other record systems
Inmate Records, Sex-Offender Information and Federal Cases
Massachusetts DOC and VINELink
Use the DOC official website’s “Find someone with Vinelink” resource for available custody and notification information. County sheriff facilities and state DOC facilities are different custodians; verify which agency holds the individual.
Open DOC resources ↗Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry
Public access is subject to classification rules. The online registry includes Level 3 offenders and qualifying Level 2 offenders classified after July 12, 2013. For other publicly available Level 2 information, use the official SORB request or local police route.
SORB request instructions ↗Federal Criminal Court Records
Search federal cases through PACER, including proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. PACER registration is free, but searches and documents can incur fees.
Find federal cases ↗Appellate Criminal Records
Appeal docket entries and opinions are available through Massachusetts appellate court resources. Use the originating docket number when tracing a case from trial through appeal.
Search appellate records ↗Record privacy and corrections
Massachusetts Sealed Records, Expungement and CORI Corrections
Not every Massachusetts criminal case is publicly searchable. Juvenile confidentiality, impoundment, sealing, statutory restrictions and court orders can limit access. A missing result is not proof that a person has no record.
These are eligibility starting points, not automatic guarantees. Non-conviction sealing, excluded offenses, intervening convictions, expungement and special circumstances can involve different procedures. If your CORI is inaccurate, follow DCJIS correction instructions rather than assuming a court docket amendment automatically changes every record system.
Fix an unsuccessful search
Why Can’t I Find Massachusetts Criminal Records Online?
| Problem | Likely explanation | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Name search does not work | Public remote searches are restricted for criminal defendant names | Use the docket number or ask about courthouse kiosk access |
| Correct case number returns nothing | Wrong department, division, location or formatting | Confirm the full number and trial-court location |
| No document image available | Document may not be remotely accessible | Ask the court clerk about public inspection or copies |
| CORI has a missing disposition | Repository and court information may need reconciliation | Obtain certified disposition and follow DCJIS correction guidance |
| Record is sealed or impounded | Legal restrictions protect the record | Use only lawful access procedures; do not attempt circumvention |
| Federal prosecution not appearing | Separate federal judiciary | Search PACER |
| Older case cannot be located | Paper archives or non-digitized records | Contact the court or official archives |
Responsible use
Reading a Criminal Record Without Making the Wrong Assumption
An arraignment means a charge was brought before the court. It does not establish guilt. A docket can later show dismissal, acquittal, plea, conviction, sentencing, sealing or additional procedural activity.
For Massachusetts employment and housing decisions, CORI law and applicable federal consumer-reporting requirements may restrict access, retention and use. The level of CORI available to a requester also depends on the requester’s legal authorization. A free MassCourts screenshot is not a substitute for a properly authorized check.
Common questions
Massachusetts Criminal Records FAQs
Can I search Massachusetts criminal records online for free?
You can search eligible public Trial Court docket information without an ordinary search charge, but most criminal cases require a docket number for internet lookup. A formal CORI request may require a fee.
Can I search Massachusetts criminal court cases by defendant name?
Generally not through the public MassCourts internet portal. Massachusetts Rule 5 restricts remote defendant-name searching for criminal cases. Public courthouse terminals can offer broader searches for non-confidential records.
What is the difference between CORI and MassCourts?
CORI is criminal offender record information distributed under DCJIS rules. MassCourts is an online court-case information system. Their permitted searches, access rules and purposes differ.
How much does a Massachusetts personal CORI cost?
The DCJIS individual request page lists $25 for a personal CORI, with a $0 category for qualifying indigent-subject fee waivers. Confirm the current fee when requesting.
How long does a CORI request take?
Massachusetts DCJIS states a CORI request can take up to 10 business days, although some requests are completed sooner.
Where do I get a certified Massachusetts criminal disposition?
Contact the Clerk’s Office in the court where the criminal case was filed. Provide the docket number and ask for the certified disposition, judgment or other required document.
How do I find my docket number if I only know the person’s name?
Contact the relevant public courthouse and ask about permitted kiosk searching or court-record assistance. The online criminal defendant-name search restriction does not mean all public in-person access is prohibited.
Can a sealed Massachusetts criminal record appear online?
Sealing and impoundment can limit public access. The exact treatment depends on the case, order and governing law. Do not assume a missing search result establishes whether a sealed record exists.
Where are Massachusetts federal criminal records?
Federal criminal court cases are searched through PACER or the appropriate federal court. Massachusetts state Trial Court and CORI systems are different.
Does Massachusetts have free online sex-offender searches?
Massachusetts SORB provides a public online registry for Level 3 and qualifying Level 2 registrants. Other publicly available Level 2 information may require an official SORB request or local police inquiry.
Primary sources
Official Massachusetts Criminal Records Resources
These are the primary official sources used for the practical instructions, access restrictions and fees on this page.
- Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access — public docket portal
- How to Search Court Dockets — portal procedures and search fields
- Types of Cases Available Online — criminal-case search restrictions
- Uniform Public Access Rule 5 — remote-access restrictions
- Massachusetts CORI — DCJIS registration and current notices
- Request CORI as an Individual — fees, steps and waivers
- Courthouse Locator — court locations and contacts
- Criminal Record Sealing Eligibility — state rules
- SORB Request Instructions — registry access limitations
- PACER Federal Court Records — federal case access