Search Middlesex County Criminal Court Records
Middlesex County criminal court records are held at two Superior Court locations and eleven District Courts across the county. With about 1.6 million people, Middlesex is the most populous county in Massachusetts. That means a large volume of criminal case filings each year. You can search for records through the state's online portal or by visiting the clerk's office at any Middlesex court location. The county spans from Cambridge and Somerville near Boston to Lowell and Ayer near the New Hampshire line, so knowing which court handled a case is key to finding the right file. Criminal cases range from minor traffic matters to serious felony charges.
Middlesex County Overview
Middlesex County Superior Court
The Superior Court handles all serious felony cases in Middlesex County. There are two locations. The main one is in Woburn at 200 Trade Center. The second is in Lowell at 370 Jackson Street. Criminal cases get filed at one or the other based on where the crime took place. If you need court records, you have to go to the right location. Call first to check.
The Woburn courthouse is the primary site for most criminal matters in Middlesex County. The clerk's office sits on the second floor. Staff can pull case files and make copies while you wait, though older records may take a few days to retrieve. You can reach the clerk's office at (781) 939-2700. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Plan to get there by 4:00 PM if you want same-day help. The Middlesex County Superior Court page on mass.gov has more details about services and forms.
The Lowell Superior Court location at 370 Jackson Street handles cases from the northern part of the county. The criminal clerk can be reached at (978) 453-4181. This site also runs Monday through Friday with the same hours as Woburn.
| Court | Middlesex Superior Court - Woburn |
|---|---|
| Address |
200 Trade Center, 2nd Floor Woburn, MA 01801 |
| Phone | (781) 939-2700 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Lowell Location | 370 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852 | (978) 656-7800 |
Middlesex County District Courts
Middlesex County has eleven District Courts. These courts handle misdemeanors, lesser felonies, and other criminal matters. Each one serves a set group of towns. The case gets filed at the court that covers the town where the incident took place. District Court criminal records are part of the same state system, so the process for getting copies is the same at each one.
The Cambridge District Court is at 4040 Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford and covers Cambridge, Arlington, and Belmont. You can reach them at (781) 306-2715. The Lowell District Court at 370 Jackson Street serves Lowell and Billerica, among others. Call (978) 459-4101. Framingham District Court at 600 Concord Street handles cases from Framingham, Ashland, and Holliston at (508) 875-7461. The Malden District Court at 89 Summer Street serves Malden and Everett. Their number is (781) 322-7500.
Other Middlesex County District Courts include Concord at 305 Walden Street, Somerville at 175 Fellsway, Waltham at 38 Linden Street, Newton at 1309 Washington Street in West Newton, Woburn at 30 Pleasant Street, Marlborough at 45 Williams Street, and Ayer at 25 East Main Street. All of them keep the same hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
Note: Criminal cases on MassCourts for Middlesex County are only searchable by docket number, not by name.
How to Search Middlesex Criminal Court Records
There are two main ways to search for criminal court records in Middlesex County. You can use the online portal or visit a courthouse in person. Each method has its own limits. Online gives you basic case info fast. In-person lets you see full case files and get copies on the spot.
The MassCourts portal is the state's free case lookup tool. It covers all Middlesex County courts. You can find docket entries, case status, and party names. But here is the catch: criminal cases can only be searched by docket number. Name searches do not work for criminal matters. If you have the case number, you can pull up the record in minutes. The mass.gov guide on searching court dockets walks you through the steps.
For in-person requests at Middlesex Superior Court, go to the clerk's office in Woburn or Lowell. Bring the case number if you have it. Give the defendant's full name and the rough date of the case. Staff will pull the file. You will need a photo ID. Standard copies cost $0.05 per page. Certified copies run $2.50 per page, and certificates of orders or judgments cost $20.00 each. Same-day service is common for recent cases, but older or complex files can take 5 to 10 business days.
The screenshot below shows the MassCourts portal, which is the main online tool for searching Middlesex County criminal court records.
This portal lets you look up case information for all courts in the county, though criminal searches require a docket number.
Middlesex County Criminal Background Checks
Massachusetts runs criminal background checks through the CORI system. CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. It is managed by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). This is separate from court records, but the data comes from the same cases filed in Middlesex County courts.
Anyone can run their own CORI check for free once a year. You do this through the iCORI portal. The system pulls records from all Massachusetts courts, including every Middlesex County court. If you need to check someone else's record, you pay $25.00 per search and must register as an approved organization. The criminal records topic page on mass.gov explains who can access what and how to get started.
Sealed records do not show up in CORI results. Under Massachusetts law, misdemeanors can be sealed after 3 years from the disposition date. Felonies can be sealed after 7 years. If a case ended in a not guilty verdict or was dismissed, you can seal it right away under M.G.L. c. 276, section 100C. Juvenile records are kept in a separate system and are generally confidential under M.G.L. c. 119, section 60A.
Middlesex County Law Enforcement Records
The Middlesex District Attorney's Office handles prosecution for all criminal cases in the county. Their main office is at 15 Commonwealth Avenue in Woburn. Call (781) 897-8300 for general questions. The DA's office keeps its own records on cases it has prosecuted, and you may be able to get certain documents through a public records request.
The screenshot below shows the Middlesex County District Attorney's website, which provides information about criminal prosecutions and victim services in the county.
The DA's office also runs victim and witness assistance programs for people involved in Middlesex County criminal cases.
The Middlesex County Sheriff's Office is at 400 Mystic Avenue in Medford. Phone is (781) 960-2800. They handle inmates held at the county jail. You can look up current inmates to see who is in custody, their booking date, and facility assignment. This is for current inmates only. It does not cover people who have been released.
The screenshot below shows the Middlesex Superior Court official page on mass.gov, which lists contact details and services for the court.
This page provides hours, address, and phone number details for the Middlesex Superior Court.
Middlesex County Court Record Fees
Fees for copies of criminal court records in Middlesex County follow the state schedule. Costs are the same at both the Superior Court and District Courts. You can pay with cash, credit card, check, or money order when you visit in person.
- Unattested copies: $0.05 per page
- Attested copies: $2.50 per page
- Certified copies: $6.00 to $10.00 per document
- Certificate of order, decree, or ruling: $20.00
- Transcript of judgment: $50.00
- Staff-assisted record search: $5.00 to $20.00
- CORI background check: $25.00
If you mail a request, include a check or money order. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope. Make it payable to the clerk's office of the court you are writing to. Mail requests take longer. Expect 5 to 10 business days for the records to arrive, sometimes more for older cases that need to be pulled from storage.
Note: Your first personal CORI check each year is free through the iCORI system.
Cities in Middlesex County
Middlesex County has dozens of cities and towns. Criminal cases for each one go to the District Court that serves that area, or to Middlesex Superior Court for more serious charges.
Other communities in Middlesex County include Arlington, Belmont, Billerica, Concord, Woburn, Marlborough, and Ayer. All criminal cases for these towns go through the local District Court or Middlesex Superior Court.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Middlesex County. If you are not sure which county handled a criminal case, check the town where the incident occurred. Each county has its own court system.