Middlesex County Civil Court Records
Middlesex County civil court records are held across multiple courts, including the Superior Court in Woburn and Lowell, several District Courts, and the Probate and Family Court. With a population of about 1.6 million, Middlesex is the most populous county in Massachusetts and one of the busiest in New England. This guide explains how to find and access civil court records at each Middlesex County court, whether you search online or visit in person.
Middlesex County Overview
Middlesex County Superior Court Civil Records
The Middlesex County Superior Court handles the largest civil cases in the county. These include major contract disputes, personal injury claims over $25,000, and other serious civil matters. The Superior Court operates under MGL c. 212 § 3, which gives it jurisdiction over civil actions where the amount in dispute exceeds what District Courts can handle. Middlesex Superior Court has two courthouses: one in Woburn and one in Lowell. Both locations hold civil case files and can provide certified copies.
The Woburn courthouse at 200 Trade Center serves the southern and eastern parts of the county. The Lowell courthouse at 370 Jackson Street serves the northern and western communities. Court Clerk Michael A. Sullivan manages records at both locations. If you are not sure which courthouse holds your case, you can search by name at masscourts.org and the results will show the courthouse and docket number.
The official listing for the Middlesex County Superior Court on the Massachusetts court system site shows hours, contact info, and directions for both locations.
Visit the Middlesex County Superior Court page on mass.gov for full details on both courthouse locations, including addresses, phone numbers, and parking information.
| Court | Middlesex County Superior Court (Woburn) |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Trade Center, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801 |
| Phone | (781) 939-2700 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Website | mass.gov - Middlesex Superior Court |
| Court | Middlesex County Superior Court (Lowell) |
|---|---|
| Address | 370 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852 |
| Phone | (978) 656-7800 | Civil: (978) 453-0201 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Website | mass.gov - Middlesex Superior Court |
Middlesex Probate and Family Court Records
The Middlesex Probate and Family Court handles civil matters involving family relationships and estates. Cases include divorce, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, and the probate of wills. Register of Probate Tara DeCristofaro runs the clerk operations for all three locations. This court is one of the busiest probate courts in the state given the size of Middlesex County.
Middlesex Probate and Family Court has three locations. The main courthouse is at 208 Cambridge Street in East Cambridge. There are also sessions in Woburn at 10-U Commerce Way and in Lowell at 370 Jackson Street, 5th Floor. Depending on where a case was filed, records may be at any of these three sites. The MassCourts online system covers all Probate and Family Court dockets and is the fastest way to find which location holds your case.
The Middlesex Probate and Family Court page on mass.gov lists all three locations with phone numbers and hours.
| Court | Middlesex Probate and Family Court (Cambridge - Main) |
|---|---|
| Address | 208 Cambridge Street, East Cambridge, MA 02141 |
| Phone | (617) 768-5800 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Website | mass.gov - Middlesex Probate Court |
Note: Middlesex Probate and Family Court has three locations. Cambridge is the main site; Woburn at (781) 865-4000 and Lowell at (978) 656-7700 also hold sessions.
Middlesex County District Court Civil Records
District Courts in Middlesex County hear small claims cases, civil matters up to $25,000, and summary process actions. There are more than a dozen District Courts spread across the county, each serving a defined group of cities and towns. Under MGL c. 218 § 19, District Courts have civil jurisdiction for actions not exceeding $25,000. If your case falls within that range, the District Court for your city is where you file and where records are kept.
A few key District Courts in Middlesex County and the communities they serve are listed below. This is not a complete list; there are additional courts serving other parts of the county.
- Lowell District Court (370 Jackson Street, Lowell) - serves Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough
- Cambridge District Court (4040 Mystic Valley Pkwy, Medford) - serves Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge
- Newton District Court (1309 Washington Street, West Newton) - serves Newton only
- Somerville District Court (175 Fellsway, Somerville) - serves Medford and Somerville
- Malden District Court (4040 Mystic Valley Pkwy, Medford) - serves Everett, Malden, Melrose, Wakefield
- Framingham District Court (600 Concord Street, Framingham) - serves Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Sudbury, Wayland
- Waltham District Court (38 Linden Street, Waltham) - serves Waltham, Watertown, Weston
The Lowell District Court is one of the largest District Courts in Middlesex County. It can be reached at (978) 459-4101. The Cambridge District Court handles civil filings for Cambridge and nearby communities and can be reached at (781) 306-2715. Newton District Court at (617) 244-3600 is notable because it serves only the city of Newton, making it one of the few single-city district courts in the state. Contact the Somerville District Court at (617) 666-8000 for cases involving Medford or Somerville.
The Lowell District Court page on mass.gov has the full address, phone, and docket access for civil cases filed in northern Middlesex County.
See the Cambridge District Court page on mass.gov for contact details and civil case lookup information for that jurisdiction.
Note: Each District Court in Middlesex County only holds records for the specific cities and towns within its jurisdiction, not the whole county.
Housing Court Civil Cases in Middlesex County
Two Housing Court divisions serve Middlesex County. The Central Housing Court has a session in Marlborough at 45 Williams Street, reachable at (508) 831-2050. The Northeast Housing Court has a session in Lowell at 370 Jackson Street, reachable at (978) 656-7600. Housing Court handles civil cases involving residential property disputes, code enforcement actions, and other housing-related civil matters. These cases are separate from regular District Court civil dockets and have their own records systems.
Housing Court civil records are also searchable through the MassCourts system. The court name and docket number appear in search results, so you can quickly tell whether a case is in Housing Court or District Court. If you need to look up a housing case for a specific city in Middlesex County, the MassCourts system will direct you to the right court division.
Searching Middlesex Civil Court Records Online
The Massachusetts Trial Court provides free public access to civil case dockets through masscourts.org. When you go to the site, select "Middlesex County" from the court list and choose the specific court you want to search. You can search by party name, case number, or docket type. Results show party names, filing dates, case status, and docket entries. The system covers Superior Court, District Court, Housing Court, and Probate and Family Court records for Middlesex County.
For many civil cases, the docket entries alone give you the key facts: who filed, when they filed, what motions were made, and what the court decided. Full documents are not always posted online. If you need a copy of a specific filing, you will need to contact the clerk's office at the relevant courthouse. The Virtual Court Service Center is also available remotely Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 2 PM for help with record requests.
Copy fees in Middlesex County courts follow the state schedule. Unattested copies cost $0.05 per page. Certified copies are $2.50 per page. Certificates cost $20.00 each. Under MGL c. 66 § 10, any person can request copies of public court records by submitting a written request to the clerk's office at the courthouse where the case is held.
Note: The Virtual Court Service Center at Middlesex courts is available remotely Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 2 PM for record access help.
Getting Middlesex County Civil Court Records In Person
Going to the courthouse is the best way to get full copies of civil case documents. Clerks can pull the file, let you review it, and make copies on the spot. Bring a photo ID and the case number if you have it. If you do not have a case number, staff can search by the names of the parties. Walk-in visits work well for straightforward requests. More complex requests, like large files or older cases, may take more time.
For Superior Court civil records, go to either the Woburn courthouse at 200 Trade Center or the Lowell courthouse at 370 Jackson Street depending on where the case was filed. For Probate and Family Court civil records, the Cambridge location at 208 Cambridge Street handles the bulk of older records, though more recent filings may be at the Woburn or Lowell sessions. District Court civil records are held at each individual courthouse serving the city where the case was filed. Hours at all Middlesex County courts are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Cities in Middlesex County
Middlesex County is home to several large cities, each served by its own District Court for civil matters under $25,000. Larger civil cases go to the Middlesex County Superior Court in Woburn or Lowell.
Nearby Counties
Middlesex County borders several other Massachusetts counties. If you are unsure which county court handles a civil case, check the address of the parties or where the event giving rise to the case took place.