Plymouth County
Plymouth County was created in 1685 by the Plymouth General Court, which was the colony's legislative body at the time (before it was annexed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony). It is home to over 533,200 residents and has a total area of 1,093 square miles, making it the state's third-largest county by total area.
Plymouth County's trial court system comprises Superior Courts, District Courts, Family and Probate Courts, Housing Courts, and Juvenile Courts. The Superior Courts have original jurisdiction over all criminal matters but typically hear the more serious cases that carry a prison sentence of more than 2.5 years and exclusively handle first-degree murder cases. These courts also handle civil matters involving more than $50,000 and labor disputes. The District Courts handle minor criminal offenses, civil cases under $25,000, small claims cases (for $7,000 or less), eviction cases, and other similar matters. The Housing Courts handle matters involving residential housing, such as housing code violations, housing discrimination, evictions, lockouts, and receiverships. The Probate and Family Courts have jurisdiction over issues involving families, children, and probate matters such as divorce, paternity, child support, custody, adoption, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes. The Juvenile Courts also handle matters involving minors, such as juvenile delinquency and abuse cases, while the Land Courts handle issues involving real estate and land use.
In addition to these trial courts, Plymouth County also has Drug and Mental Health Courts that offer eligible offenders alternatives to incarceration through intensive, supervised probation and mandatory treatment programs.
Plymouth County public court records refer to documented information generated during and detailing court-related activities in the county. Examples include witness testimonies, subpoenas, summonses, depositions, motions, trial transcripts, judgments, court orders, and verdicts. These records are maintained at the respective courts where the matter in question was handled by Court Clerks who also provide interested parties with access to them on request.
The Judiciary of Massachusetts provides a Trial Court Case Access platform that you can use to look up Plymouth County court records online. You can also access these records in person via public access terminals at the county's various courthouses. Be aware that Juvenile Court records are withheld from public inspection. You may also be charged a fee to obtain copies of Plymouth County public court records.
