Taunton Civil Court Records

Taunton civil court records are filed across several courts, including the Taunton District Court, Bristol County courts, and the Southeast Housing Court. As the county seat of Bristol County, Taunton hosts multiple court offices in the same area. This page covers how to find and access Taunton civil court records, where to go for different case types, and what fees to expect.

Taunton District Court Civil Records

The Taunton District Court is the primary court for civil cases up to $50,000 in Taunton. It also handles small claims disputes up to $7,000. The court sits at 120 Cohannet Street in Taunton and serves seven communities: Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Taunton itself. Most Taunton civil court records at the lower-value range start and end here, and the clerk's office is the first point of contact for anyone looking to file or search civil cases in the area.

The official Massachusetts courts page for this location provides service details, directions, and contact information. You can view that page at mass.gov/locations/taunton-district-court. The screenshot below was taken from that source.

The court handles a wide range of civil matters, from contract disputes to small claims cases. If you are unsure whether your case belongs here or at a higher court, the clerk's office can help you figure that out before you file.

Note: The Taunton District Court serves seven communities total; civil court records from Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Raynham, Rehoboth, and Seekonk are also filed and stored here alongside Taunton cases.

Bristol County Superior Court - Taunton

The Bristol County Superior Court has a location in Taunton at 9 Court Street. However, this location handles criminal matters only. Civil cases for Bristol County that exceed the district court limit are filed at the New Bedford location of the Superior Court, not here in Taunton. This is a key point if you are searching for Taunton civil court records at the superior court level. Looking in Taunton for superior court civil filings will not find them. You need to check New Bedford.

The Taunton Superior Court location does include a Court Service Center on site. The Court Service Center helps people who are representing themselves in court cases. Staff there can assist with forms, court procedures, and general guidance on how to navigate the system. They do not give legal advice, but they can point you to the right forms and explain filing steps for civil matters in Bristol County.

Note: All Bristol County Superior Court civil case records are held at the New Bedford location; the Taunton courthouse handles criminal proceedings only.

Bristol Probate Court - Taunton Civil Matters

The Bristol Probate and Family Court in Taunton handles civil matters related to estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and family law proceedings for Bristol County residents, including those from Taunton. The Register is Thomas C. Hoye, Jr. The court is at 40 Broadway, Suite 240, in Taunton. This office maintains its own set of records that are separate from the district and superior court civil case files. If your search involves a Taunton civil case tied to a probate matter, an estate, or a guardianship, this is the right office to contact.

The Taunton probate court runs a Virtual Registry on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The Virtual Registry lets you handle some probate matters remotely without traveling to the courthouse. That can save time if you just need basic record information or want to check the status of a pending case. For more involved requests or if you need copies of specific documents, an in-person visit may still be needed.

Southeast Housing Court - Taunton Session

The Southeast Housing Court operates a Taunton session at 120 Cohannet Street, the same building as the Taunton District Court. This court handles civil matters involving housing disputes, summary process cases, and code enforcement issues for the Taunton area. If you are searching for civil court records tied to a housing dispute in Taunton, those records are held by the Housing Court, not the district or superior court. This is a common source of confusion when searching Taunton civil court records.

The phone number for the Southeast Housing Court Taunton session is (508) 977-4950. Hours follow the standard court schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Cases here are civil in nature, and the court maintains its own docket. You can search for Taunton Housing Court civil cases through MassCourts by selecting the Southeast Housing Court from the location options.

Note: Housing court civil records in Taunton are separate from district and superior court records; make sure to search the correct court type when looking up case history.

Search Taunton Civil Court Records Online

MassCourts is the main online search tool for Taunton civil court records. Go to masscourts.org and select Bristol County when searching for Taunton District Court or Taunton Probate Court records. For Housing Court records from the Taunton session, select Southeast Housing Court from the court list instead of Bristol County.

One thing to keep in mind: superior court civil case records for Taunton are at New Bedford, not the Taunton location. When using MassCourts for Bristol County superior court civil records, results will reflect filings from the New Bedford courthouse. If you know your case was originally filed in Taunton at the district level and was later moved to superior court, the superior court record will appear under New Bedford in the system.

MassCourts lets you search by party name, case number, or docket number. Results typically show docket entries, case status, scheduled events, and party details. Full documents are not always available online. If you need a copy of a specific filing or order, you will need to request it from the clerk's office at the appropriate court.

Note: Archive case files from 1931 to 1970 are stored off-site and require additional lead time to retrieve; contact the clerk before visiting if your search involves older Taunton civil court records.

Taunton Civil Court Record Fees

Fees for Taunton civil court record copies are set by the Massachusetts Trial Court. The following fee schedule applies at the Taunton District Court and Bristol County courts in Taunton.

• Regular copy: $1.00 per page
• Certified copy: $4.50 per page
• Name search fee: $5.00 per name

Same-day file review is limited to three files per visit. If you need to review more than three civil case files in a single trip, plan your visit carefully and bring a clear list of case numbers. Staff can pull files more quickly when you have exact case numbers ready. Walk-ins are accepted during regular hours, but calling ahead is a good idea for large or complex requests.

For archive files from 1931 to 1970, those records are stored off-site. Retrieval takes extra time, and you should call the clerk in advance to arrange access. The clerk's office at the Taunton District Court at (508) 977-6000 can tell you how to request off-site records and what to expect for turnaround times.

Payment methods vary by court. Bring cash or check if you are unsure whether the clerk's office accepts cards. Fees for certified copies at the Probate and Family Court may differ slightly. Always confirm with the specific clerk's office before your visit to make sure you have the right form of payment and the right amount.

Note: Fees are subject to change by the Massachusetts Trial Court; confirm the current schedule with the specific clerk's office before submitting any payment.

Other Qualifying Cities in Bristol County

Bristol County has two other qualifying cities with their own civil court records pages: New Bedford and Fall River. New Bedford is the location where Bristol County Superior Court civil cases are actually filed, so it plays a central role in county-wide civil records even if your case started in Taunton. Both cities are served by their own district courts and have pages covering local civil court resources.

You can find civil court records pages for both cities here: New Bedford Civil Court Records and Fall River Civil Court Records.

Bristol County Civil Court Records

Taunton is in Bristol County. Civil records from Taunton are filed and maintained through the Bristol County court system. For county-wide resources and the full list of courts, visit the Bristol County civil court records page.

View Bristol County Civil Court Records