Find Dukes County Civil Court Records

Dukes County civil court records are kept at 81 Main Street in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard, where all three courts share one building: the Superior Court, the Probate and Family Court, and the Edgartown District Court. You can search cases online through the state's MassCourts portal or request copies directly from the clerks. Getting to these courts requires a ferry from the mainland, so this page also covers your transit options and what to expect when you arrive.

Dukes County Superior Court Civil Records

The Dukes County Superior Court handles civil cases above $50,000 for the entire island. That includes major contract disputes, tort claims, and other complex civil litigation that originates anywhere in Dukes County. Under MGL c. 212, the Superior Court has jurisdiction over these larger civil matters. It is the main venue for significant civil court records in Dukes County, and its docket covers the widest range of complex cases filed here.

The court sits at 81 Main Street, P.O. Box 1267, Edgartown, MA 02539. You can reach the clerk's office at (508) 627-4668 or by fax at (508) 627-7571. Email goes to dukes.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us. Clerk of Courts T. George Davis oversees the office. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Note that 8:00 AM start time: it is 30 minutes earlier than many other Massachusetts Superior Courts, so if you are coming in on the morning ferry, plan to move quickly once you dock.

The Dukes County Superior Court page on mass.gov lists current contact details and clerk information for civil record inquiries.

[Lead-in] The official listing for this court on the Massachusetts court locator at mass.gov/locations/dukes-county-superior-court shows the full address, phone numbers, and hours for the Dukes County Superior Court.

This page on mass.gov is the best starting point when you need to confirm contact details or verify hours before visiting the Superior Court to request Dukes County civil court records.

Note: Dukes County Superior Court opens at 8:00 AM, which is 30 minutes earlier than many other Superior Courts in Massachusetts, so plan your visit or ferry arrival time with that in mind.

Dukes County Probate and Family Court Civil Records

The Dukes Probate and Family Court is at the same address: 81 Main Street, P.O. Box 237, Edgartown, MA 02539. Phone is (508) 627-4703. Register Daphne Devries and First Justice Hon. Susan Jacobs lead the court. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, which is a half hour later than the Superior Court across the building. This court handles civil matters tied to estates, guardianship, conservatorship, adoptions, and family law proceedings for all of Martha's Vineyard.

Dukes County civil court records from the Probate and Family Court include petitions for guardianship, estate inventories, divorce filings, and adoption decrees. These are public civil records in most cases, accessible under MGL c. 66, Section 10, which covers public records access in Massachusetts. If you need a certified copy of a probate decree or family court order, you must request it from the clerk's office directly. The probate court does not process document requests through MassCourts; that system shows docket information only. Copies require a written or in-person request to the clerk.

Because the year-round population of Dukes County is only around 17,000, the probate court's docket is relatively small compared to mainland counties. Finding a specific case is usually straightforward. The island's population swells to over 70,000 in summer, but court filings do not spike in the same way that foot traffic on the Vineyard does. Research fees for extensive staff searches run $20 to $30 per hour under Massachusetts fee rules.

The Dukes Probate and Family Court page on mass.gov has current contact details and a list of case types handled at the Edgartown location.

You can review the official listing for this court at mass.gov/locations/dukes-probate-and-family-court, which covers all services offered by the Probate and Family Court in Dukes County.

This image from mass.gov shows the Dukes Probate and Family Court listing, where you can find hours, staff contacts, and information about requesting Dukes County civil court records from this court.

Edgartown District Court Civil Records in Dukes County

The Edgartown District Court covers civil cases up to $50,000 and small claims matters up to $7,000 for all of Dukes County. There is only one district court on Martha's Vineyard, so if you have a civil case in this range anywhere on the island, this is where it gets filed. The court is at 81 Main Street, P.O. Box 1284, Edgartown, MA 02539. Call (508) 627-3751 to reach the clerk's office. Acting Clerk-Magistrate Ann Marie Lyons runs the office. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Small claims cases at Edgartown District Court are a common way for individuals and businesses to resolve civil disputes on the island without going through the full Superior Court process. If your claim is $7,000 or under, small claims is the route to take. For disputes in the $7,001 to $50,000 range, the regular civil track at the district court applies. For anything above $50,000, you file at the Dukes County Superior Court. The district court clerk can help you figure out which track fits your case based on the amount at issue. All civil court records from the Edgartown District Court are searchable through MassCourts by case number or party name.

The Edgartown District Court page on mass.gov has full address, phone, and clerk contact information for civil record inquiries in Dukes County.

Visit the official court listing at mass.gov/locations/edgartown-district-court to see current hours and clerk contact information for the Edgartown District Court.

The mass.gov listing for Edgartown District Court shows the physical address, mailing P.O. Box, and clerk contact details you need to request Dukes County civil court records from this court.

Search Dukes County Civil Court Records Online

The Massachusetts Trial Court's free public portal, MassCourts, lets you search civil case dockets for all three Dukes County courts. Go to the site, select "Dukes County" from the county list, then choose the court you want to search. You can look up cases by party name or case number. Results show filing dates, party names, docket events, and the current status of each case. This works for the Superior Court, the Probate and Family Court, and the Edgartown District Court.

For people on the mainland who cannot easily make the ferry trip to Edgartown, MassCourts handles most informational needs. You can confirm whether a civil case was filed, get the docket number, and review the full event history without leaving home. Criminal case searches through MassCourts require the docket number; you cannot search criminal records by name. Civil records, however, are searchable by party name, which makes finding a case much easier. Once you locate the case, note the docket number before you contact the court or submit a mail request.

The Dukes County government also maintains a local court information page. The county site at dukescounty.gov/DCCourts has information about all three courts and can be a useful supplement to the state court website, especially for anyone who needs background on how the county government relates to the court system on Martha's Vineyard.

The Dukes County government court directory is available at dukescounty.gov/DCCourts, which provides a county-level overview of the courts and services at 81 Main Street in Edgartown.

This page from the Dukes County government site gives a directory view of the county's three courts and serves as a local resource for anyone seeking Dukes County civil court records information beyond what the state court portal provides.

The Martha's Vineyard Mediation Program at (508) 693-2999 offers an alternative dispute resolution option for civil matters in Dukes County. Mediation can resolve some civil disputes faster and at lower cost than the court process, and it is worth considering before filing if both parties are open to it.

Dukes County Civil Court Records Fees and Copy Requests

Massachusetts sets copy fees for court records statewide under MGL c. 262, Section 4B. Dukes County courts follow this uniform schedule. The fees you will encounter when requesting civil court records in Dukes County are:

• Unattested (plain) copies: $0.05 per page
• Attested (certified) copies: $2.50 per page
• Certificates: $20.00 per certificate
• Research fees for extensive searches: $20 to $30 per hour

To request copies by mail, write to the court that holds the case. Use the P.O. Box address for the specific court: Box 1267 for Superior Court, Box 237 for Probate and Family Court, or Box 1284 for Edgartown District Court. All are at Edgartown, MA 02539. Your request should include the case name, docket number, a clear description of the specific documents you need, and a check or money order for the applicable fees. Staff will process the request and mail copies back to you. Call first if you are unsure of the exact fee, especially for certified copies, to avoid delays caused by incorrect payment amounts.

The full uniform fee schedule for Massachusetts courts is at mass.gov/info-details/uniform-schedule-of-fees.

Note: Research fees of $20 to $30 per hour apply only when a request requires significant staff time to locate records and are not charged for routine copy requests where you already have the docket number.

Getting to Dukes County Courts: Ferry and Island Access

There is no bridge to Martha's Vineyard. Reaching the Dukes County courts at 81 Main Street in Edgartown means taking a ferry from the mainland or flying in. Four ferry operators serve the island. The Steamship Authority runs year-round from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs; reach them at (508) 693-9130. Hy-Line Cruises connects Hyannis to Oak Bluffs at (800) 492-8082. Island Queen runs from Falmouth to Oak Bluffs at (508) 548-4800. Seastreak provides seasonal service from New Bedford to Oak Bluffs at (800) 262-8743. In summer, reserve early. Ferries fill up fast during July and August.

Once you are on the island, the Martha's Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) offers bus routes to Edgartown. Routes 1, 6, 8, and 13 all serve the courthouse area. A single ride costs $2.00 and a day pass is $7.00. The VTA website at vineyardtransit.com has current schedules and route maps. You can also reach the VTA at (508) 693-9440. If you drive to the ferry and bring your car over, note that parking behind the courthouse is free. Metered street parking near the courthouse runs $1.25 per hour in summer, so the free lot behind the building is the better option for longer visits.

For most people seeking Dukes County civil court records from the mainland, the practical approach is to search MassCourts online first and then submit a mail request if you need physical documents. This avoids ferry costs and travel time entirely. The courts are experienced with mail requests from off-island parties and respond regularly to them. Plan extra time if you need your documents quickly, since island logistics add a layer of unpredictability to travel that mainland courthouses do not have.

Communities in Dukes County

Dukes County is made up of the island communities of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury, Chilmark, Aquinnah, and Gosnold. None of these communities meet the population threshold required for a dedicated civil court records page on this site. All residents and parties with civil matters in Dukes County file at the three courts located at 81 Main Street in Edgartown.

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county. The nearest counties accessible by ferry are Barnstable on the mainland and Nantucket, which is also an island. If you think your civil case may have been filed in a neighboring county, use the links below.