Nantucket County Civil Court Records

Nantucket County civil court records are held at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket, where the Superior Court, the District Court, and the Probate and Family Court all share a single building. This is one of the smallest counties by population in Massachusetts, reachable only by ferry or by air. The state's free MassCourts portal lets you search civil cases online without traveling to the island. This page covers each court, how to request copies, the fees that apply, and what to know if you do need to make the trip in person.

Nantucket County Superior Court Civil Records

The Nantucket County Superior Court is at 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. The phone is (508) 228-2559 and the fax is (508) 228-3725. Email for the clerk's office is Nantucket.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us. Clerk of Courts Colleen S. Whelden oversees the office. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This court handles civil and criminal cases for Nantucket County, including major civil matters where the amount at issue is above the District Court's jurisdictional limit.

As the smallest county in Massachusetts by population, Nantucket County's Superior Court sees a much lower volume of civil filings than courts in larger counties. That can make searching for Nantucket County civil court records at the Superior Court level relatively straightforward. The MassCourts portal covers the full docket, and many cases can be located quickly by party name. For certified copies of Superior Court civil records, you must submit a written request to the clerk's office. Include the docket number, a description of the specific documents you need, and payment for the applicable fees. Staff will process the request and mail copies back to you if you are not on the island.

The official listing for this court at mass.gov/locations/nantucket-county-superior-court shows current hours, clerk contact details, and the mailing address for Nantucket County Superior Court.

The mass.gov Superior Court listing for Nantucket County shows the address, phone number, and clerk information you need to request civil court records from this court or verify its current hours before visiting.

Note: Nantucket County Superior Court opens at 8:00 AM, which is 30 minutes earlier than most Massachusetts Superior Courts, so plan ferry arrival times with that window in mind.

Nantucket District Court Civil Court Records

The Nantucket District Court is on the second floor at 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Phone is (508) 228-0460. Acting Clerk-Magistrate Brian Kearney runs the office. Email is cmnantucketdc@jud.state.ma.us. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. This court takes civil cases up to $50,000 and small claims matters up to $7,000 for all of Nantucket County. Because the entire county is a single island town, there is only one district court here. If your civil case falls within those dollar limits, this is the only court that can take it.

One feature that sets Nantucket District Court apart from most Massachusetts courts is its public access telephone line for court events. People who cannot travel to the island can listen to court proceedings from the mainland by calling (866) 719-4533 and entering code 5137705#. This is useful for parties in civil proceedings who need to follow a hearing without making the trip. Details about when the line is available and which types of proceedings it covers are at the public access page for Nantucket District Court events on mass.gov. That page is updated when schedules change, so it is worth checking before you plan to call in.

Small claims cases at Nantucket District Court cover disputes up to $7,000. These cases are open to individuals and businesses and do not require legal representation, though you may bring an attorney if you want one. Civil cases in the $7,001 to $50,000 range go through the regular civil track at the district court level. All civil court records from this court are searchable through MassCourts by party name or case number.

The official page for this court at mass.gov/locations/nantucket-district-court has the full address, phone, and clerk contact details for Nantucket District Court civil record inquiries.

The mass.gov listing for Nantucket District Court shows the second-floor address, phone number, fax, and Acting Clerk-Magistrate contact details for civil court records requests in Nantucket County.

Nantucket County Probate and Family Court Civil Records

The Nantucket Probate and Family Court is at 16 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Nantucket, MA 02554. Phone is (508) 228-2669 and fax is (508) 228-3662. Email is nantucketprobate@jud.state.ma.us. Register Sarah Maxwell leads the court. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, which is 30 minutes earlier than the District Court on the same floor. This court handles civil matters involving estates, divorce, guardianship, conservatorship, adoptions, and name changes for Nantucket County residents.

One key thing to know about Nantucket Probate: all probation-related matters for this court are handled by the Barnstable Probate and Family Court on the mainland. If you are looking for probation-related records tied to a Nantucket Probate case, contact Barnstable, not Nantucket. For all other civil matters on the Nantucket Probate docket, which includes estate filings, divorce decrees, guardianship orders, and adoption records, you work directly with the Nantucket office. Nantucket County civil court records from the Probate court are public in most cases under MGL c. 66, Section 10.

For mail requests to this court, call (508) 228-2669 before sending payment. Copy fees can vary by document type, and confirming the exact amount upfront saves time. If you send the wrong amount, the court will hold the request until the correct payment arrives, which adds days or weeks to the turnaround. The Nantucket Probate office is small, and staff handle requests promptly when requests are clear and payments are correct the first time.

The official court listing at mass.gov/locations/nantucket-probate-and-family-court covers the services offered, current contact details, and guidance on requesting civil records from the Nantucket Probate and Family Court.

This mass.gov listing for the Nantucket Probate and Family Court shows the second-floor address, phone, fax, and Register contact information for requesting Nantucket County civil court records from the Probate court.

Note: All probation issues tied to Nantucket Probate and Family Court cases are handled by the Barnstable Probate and Family Court, not the Nantucket office, so contact Barnstable if your inquiry involves probation records.

Search Nantucket Civil Court Records Online

The Massachusetts Trial Court provides free public access to civil case dockets through masscourts.org. Select "Nantucket County" and pick the court you want to search. You can look up cases by party name, docket number, or case type. All three Nantucket courts are in the system: the Superior Court, the District Court, and the Probate and Family Court. Results show the filing date, parties, docket entries, and current case status. This is the fastest way to find basic information about a civil case in Nantucket County without traveling to the island.

Once you find the case you need, note the docket number. Then contact the specific court and ask about its process for copy requests. For the Superior Court, write to 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. For the District Court and Probate Court, specify the 2nd Floor in your address or use the email address for the relevant clerk. Include the case name, docket number, a list of the specific documents you want, and payment. The courts mail copies back to off-island requesters. Call first to confirm the exact fees, especially for certified documents, so your request is not held up by a payment issue.

The Nantucket District Court also offers a telephone line for parties who need to participate in civil court proceedings from off-island. The details and schedule for that program are at the Nantucket Division public access page on mass.gov. This is a useful option if you have an active civil case and need to attend a hearing without taking the ferry.

The public access page for Nantucket District Court events is listed at mass.gov/info-details/public-access-to-district-court-events-in-the-nantucket-division, covering the telephone access program that lets off-island parties follow civil proceedings remotely.

This mass.gov page describes the public telephone access program for Nantucket District Court events, which is particularly valuable for anyone involved in Nantucket County civil court records proceedings who cannot travel to the island.

Nantucket County Civil Court Records Fees

Copy fees for Nantucket County civil court records follow the Massachusetts uniform fee schedule set under MGL c. 262, Section 4B. The fees you are most likely to encounter when requesting records from any of the three Nantucket courts are:

• Standard copies: $0.50 to $1.00 per page
• Certified copies: additional $2.00 to $12.00 per document
• Certification fee: $6.00 to $10.00 per document, depending on type

The range in these fees reflects the fact that different document types and different courts within the system carry slightly different charges. A plain copy of a docket sheet costs less than a certified copy of a final judgment or divorce decree. If you are not sure which fee applies, call the relevant court before you send payment. The Superior Court is at (508) 228-2559, the District Court at (508) 228-0460, and the Probate Court at (508) 228-2669. Each office can tell you the exact amount for your specific request.

Mail requests are a practical choice for most people seeking Nantucket County civil court records from off-island. Write to the relevant court at 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Note the floor for District Court and Probate Court requests (2nd Floor). Include the case name, docket number, a clear description of the documents you need, and a check or money order for the correct amount. The full uniform fee schedule is available at mass.gov/info-details/uniform-schedule-of-fees.

Getting to Nantucket County Courts: Island Access

There is no bridge to Nantucket. You reach the island by ferry or by air. Two main ferry operators connect the mainland to Nantucket. The Steamship Authority runs from Hyannis with both car and passenger service; call (508) 477-8600. Hy-Line Cruises runs a passenger-only service from Hyannis at (508) 778-2600. Both services land in Nantucket town, close to the courthouse at 16 Broad Street. In summer, reservations are not just recommended; they are essential. Ferries fill up well in advance during July and August, and showing up without a reservation on a summer weekend means waiting, sometimes for hours.

For those who need to get there quickly, Nantucket Memorial Airport (airport code ACK) has regular service from Boston, Hyannis, and New Bedford. Flights are short, often under 30 minutes from Hyannis, and can be booked through several regional carriers. The airport is on the outskirts of Nantucket town. Once on the island, the Nantucket Regional Transit Authority (NRTA) provides bus service. The Jetties Beach Route and the Madaket Route both stop at or near Broad Street. The courthouse is in the center of town and is within walking distance of the ferry dock, which makes getting there from the boat straightforward once you land.

For anyone who just needs to look up Nantucket County civil court records, the better path is online. Search MassCourts first. If you only need docket information, you can get it without leaving home. If you need physical documents, submit a mail request. The island's courts are accustomed to serving off-island parties and process mail requests as a normal part of their workload. If your matter is time-sensitive and you must attend a hearing at Nantucket District Court, check the public telephone access program before booking a ferry, as that may let you participate remotely without making the trip at all.

Communities in Nantucket County

Nantucket County is a single-island county consisting entirely of the Town of Nantucket. No communities in the county meet the population threshold required for a dedicated civil court records page on this site. All civil cases for residents of Nantucket County are filed at the three courts at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket.

Nearby Counties

Nantucket County is an island county. The closest counties are Barnstable on the mainland and Dukes County on Martha's Vineyard, both reachable by ferry. If you think a civil case may have been filed in a neighboring county, use the links below.