Berkshire County Civil Court Records
Berkshire County civil court records are held across several court locations in Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington. The county seat of Pittsfield is home to the Superior Court, Probate and Family Court, and the Central Berkshire District Court, while two additional district courts serve the northern and southern parts of the county. This guide covers where each type of civil court record is kept in Berkshire County, how to search through Massachusetts' online MassCourts system, and what you need to know before requesting records in person or by mail.
Berkshire County Overview
Berkshire County Superior Court Civil Records
The Berkshire County Superior Court handles the largest civil cases in the county. Cases involving claims over $25,000, like contract disputes, personal injury lawsuits, and civil rights claims, are filed here. The court sits at 76 East Street in Pittsfield. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can reach the clerk by phone at (413) 442-9190 or by email at Berkshire.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us.
Civil court records at the Berkshire Superior Court include complaints, answers, motions, court orders, and final judgments. The clerk maintains the full docket for each case. If you want to review a file in person, go to the clerk's office during business hours and bring the case number if you have it. If you do not have the number, the clerk can search by party name. Copies can also be requested by mail if you include the docket number and a check for the applicable fee. ADA-related questions can be directed to Michele Dillon at (413) 499-7487 extension 7404.
The state court page for the Berkshire Superior Court has the full address, directions, and contact information.
Visit the Berkshire County Superior Court page on mass.gov for current hours and contact details for the clerk's office.
| Court | Berkshire County Superior Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 76 East Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Phone | (413) 442-9190 |
| Berkshire.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us | |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Website | mass.gov - Berkshire Superior Court |
Note: Berkshire County Superior Court handles civil cases over $25,000; smaller civil claims and small claims matters go to one of the three District Courts.
Berkshire Probate and Family Court Records
The Berkshire Probate and Family Court sits at 44 Bank Row in Pittsfield. Its phone number is (413) 442-6941. This court handles civil matters involving family law and estates, including divorce, guardianship, conservatorship, adoptions, and probate of wills. All of these are civil court records that the public can request. If you are looking for a civil case related to a family dispute, an estate in Berkshire County, or a name change, this is the court you need.
The probate court offers a virtual registry on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. You can join by video at the official Zoom link or by phone at 1-646-828-7666 using Meeting ID 1604813776. This is useful if you want to ask about a record, check a case status, or get guidance on requesting documents without driving to Pittsfield. The virtual option is not a substitute for in-person record review but it is a good first step. More details are on the Berkshire Probate virtual registry page at mass.gov.
Historic probate records for Berkshire County dating from 1761 to 1865 are held at the Judicial Archives in Boston, not at the Pittsfield courthouse. If you need records from that era, contact the Judicial Archives directly to arrange access. More recent records remain at the Pittsfield location and can be viewed or copied there during normal business hours.
See the Berkshire Probate and Family Court page on mass.gov for the full list of services and virtual registry details.
| Court | Berkshire Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 44 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Phone | (413) 442-6941 |
| Virtual Registry | Mon, Wed, Fri 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM via Zoom (ID: 1604813776) or phone 1-646-828-7666 |
| Website | mass.gov - Berkshire Probate Court |
Berkshire County District Court Civil Records
Berkshire County has three District Courts. Each one covers a defined set of towns and cities, and civil records are kept only at the court for the jurisdiction where the case was filed. If you are not sure which court has the case you need, the MassCourts online system can help you locate it by party name or docket number.
The Central Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield serves the central part of the county, including Pittsfield and surrounding towns. It is at 24 Wendell Avenue and can be reached at (413) 442-6000. Email for this court is cmpittsfielddc@jud.state.ma.us. The Northern Berkshire District Court is in North Adams at 111 Holden Street and covers the towns in the northern part of the county. Phone is (413) 663-5300. The Southern Berkshire District Court is in Great Barrington at 9 Gilmore Avenue and handles civil matters for southern Berkshire communities. Its number is (413) 528-3333.
District Courts in Berkshire County handle civil cases up to $25,000 as well as small claims matters. Small claims are a simplified process for disputes involving amounts up to $7,000. Records for these cases are stored at the courthouse for the division where the case was filed. Standard business hours apply at all three Berkshire District Courts, generally Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, though you should call ahead to confirm.
The Northern Berkshire District Court page on mass.gov has the full address, phone number, and information about the communities this court serves in northern Berkshire County.
Note: Civil records in Berkshire County District Courts are held only at the court serving the town where the case was originally filed.
Western Housing Court - Berkshire Civil Cases
The Western Housing Court has a Pittsfield session located at 76 East Street, Room 2, in Pittsfield. This session is open Wednesdays only from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM, with small claims hearings held once a month from 2:00 to 4:30 PM. The main phone number for the Housing Court is (413) 748-7838. Unlike the regular courts, all filings for the Pittsfield session must be sent to the Springfield office, not to Pittsfield directly. If you need to file a housing-related civil case in Berkshire County, contact the Housing Court before you submit any documents to make sure you use the right location and process.
The Western Housing Court handles civil matters tied to residential properties. These cases include code enforcement actions, eviction proceedings brought by property owners or municipalities, and disputes over habitability. The Pittsfield session's records are part of the Housing Court docket and can be searched through the MassCourts system at masscourts.org. The Lawyer for the Day program is available at the Pittsfield session on Wednesdays, offering free legal guidance to people appearing in Housing Court without an attorney.
The Western Housing Court Pittsfield Session page on mass.gov has the full schedule and contact information for filing housing civil cases in Berkshire County.
Search Berkshire County Civil Court Records Online
The Massachusetts Trial Court offers free public access to civil case dockets at masscourts.org. On the site, select "Berkshire County" and the specific court you want to search. You can look up cases by party name, docket number, or case type. Results show filing dates, docket entries, parties, and current case status. All Berkshire County courts are included in the system: the Superior Court, the three District Courts, the Probate and Family Court, and the Western Housing Court Pittsfield session.
The online docket is a good starting point for most searches. It shows you who filed, when they filed, and what happened in the case. But if you need actual documents, like a complaint, a judgment, or a filed motion, you have to request copies from the clerk's office at the court that holds the case. Copies can be mailed to you if you submit a written request with the docket number and the correct fee payment. The copy fee schedule for Berkshire County courts is: unattested copies at $0.05 per page, attested copies at $2.50 per page, and certificates at $20.00 each.
The MassCourts portal at masscourts.org is the official free tool for searching Berkshire County civil court dockets without visiting a courthouse in person.
Berkshire Law Library
The Berkshire Law Library is at the courthouse, 76 East Street in Pittsfield, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Phone is (413) 442-5059. The library gives the public access to legal materials, court rules, practice guides, and research tools. It is a helpful resource if you are researching a civil matter in Berkshire County on your own.
Staff can help you find statutes, court rules, and secondary legal sources. They do not give legal advice, but they can point you to the right materials. The library also has access to online legal databases that are not available to the public elsewhere. If you are trying to understand how a particular type of civil case works in Massachusetts courts, the Berkshire Law Library is a good place to start. See the Berkshire Law Library page on mass.gov for hours and directions.
Cities in Berkshire County
No cities in Berkshire County meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page. Communities like Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington all file civil cases at the county courts listed above. Each town is served by the district court covering its part of the county.
Nearby Counties
Berkshire County borders Hampshire and Franklin counties to the east. If you need to find civil court records for a case filed in a neighboring county, use the links below to go to those county pages.