Massachusetts
Massachusetts Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How to Seal Them
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 10, 2026). · 3 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Massachusetts offers one free, statewide portal for looking up Trial Court cases, but the state's own courts are careful to describe it as informational only, not the official record, and the site itself is built around a specific limitation on criminal searches that trips up a lot of first-time users.
This page covers how to use the Massachusetts Trial Court's public access site, what stays confidential under Massachusetts court rules, and how sealing works differently from expungement here, including the state's own explanation of why the two are not the same thing.
Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
How to Search Massachusetts Court Records
Massachusetts runs its public case-lookup tool through masscourts.org, officially called Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access. The landing page describes its own purpose simply: "You can use this site to: Look up case information; Pay some court fees online." It's free to use, though the search itself sits behind an "I'm not a robot" verification step.
The portal is direct about its limits. Its own text states, "The information on this site is not the official record of the court," and warns that "it may not include the most recent court activity." Treat anything you find there as a starting point for confirming a case exists, not as a certified or fully current record.
Massachusetts's own Trial Court rules, described as the Uniform Rules on Public Access to Court Records, establish the underlying principle: case records are presumptively public documents unless a statute, court rule, standing order, or case law specifically requires them to be withheld. Restricting access to an otherwise-public record, called impoundment under the companion Uniform Rules on Impoundment Procedure, is meant to be the exception, not the default, and it requires a judge's written finding of good cause. According to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, a legitimate privacy interest can support good cause, but mere embarrassment or fear of unwanted publicity does not, and the burden stays on whoever wants continued secrecy to keep justifying it.
What's Public and What's Restricted in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Trial Court operates seven departments covered by the public-access portal: District Court, Superior Court, Probate and Family Court, Housing Court, Land Court, Boston Municipal Court, and Juvenile Court. Most judicial materials, including transcripts, evidence, memoranda, court orders, and search warrant materials once returned, are presumed accessible under the state's common-law and rule-based access framework.
Categories where confidentiality can apply include trade secrets and confidential business information, grand jury proceedings and related materials, juvenile delinquency and dependency proceedings, certain civil discovery materials, and sealed settlement agreements that involve intensely personal information. An impoundment order does not carry a continuing presumption of validity; the party benefiting from it has to keep showing good cause if the order is challenged.
Sealing vs. Expungement in Massachusetts
Massachusetts draws a sharp line between these two words, and the state's own guidance explains why they matter differently for a person's record. Expungement means the record is permanently destroyed, and the state is direct that this "is not the same as having a record sealed." Sealing leaves the record in existence but restricts who can see it.
Massachusetts's sealing waiting periods come from General Laws Chapter 276, Section 100A, and they are fixed rather than discretionary starting points. For a misdemeanor, the statute requires that "the person's court appearance and court disposition records, including any period of incarceration or custody for any misdemeanor record to be sealed occurred not less than 3 years before the request." For a felony, the statute requires the same disposition and any incarceration or custody to have "occurred not less than 7 years before the request." In both cases, the applicant also has to show no new criminal conviction, in Massachusetts or any other jurisdiction, within that same window, and the statute is explicit that the no-imprisonment condition applies to both tracks, not just the felony one: no imprisonment in any state or county within the preceding 3 years for a misdemeanor petition, and within the preceding 7 years for a felony petition.
The waiting period is not the only gate, and some records never clear it. Section 100A states that it "shall not apply in case of convictions for violations of sections 121 to 131H, inclusive, of chapter 140," the firearms provisions, "or for violations of chapter 268 or chapter 268A, except for convictions for resisting arrest." Sex offenses as defined in Chapter 6, Section 178C are separately barred: they are not eligible for sealing for 15 years following their disposition, counting termination of supervision, probation, or any period of incarceration, or for as long as the person is under a duty to register, whichever is longer. Anyone who has at any time been classified a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender is never eligible to seal a sex offense. The section also requires that the rest of the person's record contain no convictions for offenses outside its reach, so a single excluded conviction can block the whole request.
The procedure depends on how the case ended, and the two tracks work very differently. For convictions, Section 100A is administrative rather than judicial: the person asks the Commissioner of Probation to seal the file "on a form furnished by the commissioner and signed under the penalties of perjury," and the statute provides that "the commissioner shall comply with the request" once the listed criteria are met. No judge weighs the request and the statute sets out no hearing. For cases that did not end in conviction, Section 100C controls. A finding of not guilty, a no bill returned by the grand jury, or a finding of no probable cause is sealed by the commissioner automatically, unless the defendant "makes a written request to the commissioner not to seal the records." Where a nolle prosequi or a dismissal was entered, the court decides, and the statutory standard is whether "it appears to the court that substantial justice would best be served."
This page covers the general mechanism and timing rules. For a full eligibility walkthrough, see our Massachusetts expungement guide, which should be read alongside this state's actual sealing-versus-expungement distinction rather than assuming the two terms mean the same thing.
Certified Copies and Practical Search Tips
For a certified copy of a Massachusetts court record, contact the clerk's office of the court where the case was heard. Masscourts.org itself repeatedly disclaims being the official record, so treat it as a lookup tool, not a substitute for the clerk's office when you need something certified.
Because Massachusetts's own portal is not the official record and can lag behind recent activity, don't assume a blank or outdated-looking result means nothing is happening in a case. If timing matters, such as confirming whether a hearing has already occurred, a direct call to the clerk's office is more reliable than relying on the portal alone. For general guidance on name-versus-case-number searching, see our how to look up court records guide.
Using Court Records Responsibly: The FCRA Rule
Checking your own case, or a case you have a legitimate personal reason to look into, is a normal use of masscourts.org. Using it, or a commercial people-search product pulling from the same underlying data, to screen a tenant or job applicant is governed separately by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), not by Massachusetts's court-access rules.
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, most negative consumer-report information ages off after seven years, but § 1681c(a)(5) exempts criminal convictions from that window, so a conviction can be reported indefinitely unless a Massachusetts sealing order actually restricts it, and even an expunged record's disappearance from public view does not change how the FCRA treats reporting more broadly. In 2023, the FTC fined TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate $5.8 million for marketing public-records-based background reports for tenant and employment screening without complying with the FCRA, on the theory that a company marketing reports for that purpose is a consumer reporting agency under the law. Treat masscourts.org as personal-use research, and run any real tenant or employment screening through a properly FCRA-compliant background check.
Related Massachusetts Records Searches
This page is part of our broader Court Records by State guide, and our are court records public page covers the general presumption-of-openness concept nationwide. If you're checking your own history before a job or a lease, see Massachusetts background check laws. If you think you might have an active warrant rather than an ordinary case, see Massachusetts warrant search. For records held by state agencies rather than the courts, see Massachusetts public records laws.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Court portals, fees, and coverage change without notice, and the Massachusetts Judiciary is the only authoritative source for its own records. If you need a certified copy or have a legal question about a specific case, contact the clerk of court where the case was filed, or consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney.
Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is masscourts.org free to use?
Yes. Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access is free and lets you look up case information and pay some court fees online, though searching requires passing a bot-check step first.
Is masscourts.org the official court record?
No. The site itself states directly that the information on this site is not the official record of the court, and that it may not include the most recent court activity. Contact the clerk's office for anything you need to be current or certified.
What is the difference between sealing and expunging a Massachusetts record?
Expungement permanently destroys the record. Sealing keeps the record in existence but restricts who can see it. Massachusetts's own guidance is explicit that the two are not the same thing.
How long do I have to wait to seal a criminal record in Massachusetts?
Under General Laws Chapter 276, Section 100A, misdemeanors require at least three years since the disposition and any incarceration, and felonies require at least seven years, with no new conviction in that same window. Waiting is not enough on its own: the section does not apply to firearms convictions under Chapter 140, Sections 121 to 131H, or to Chapter 268 and 268A convictions other than resisting arrest, and sex offenses are barred for at least 15 years and permanently for anyone ever classified a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender.
Is sealing automatic in Massachusetts?
It depends on how the case ended. A conviction is never automatic, but it is also not decided by a judge: under Section 100A the person files a form with the Commissioner of Probation under the penalties of perjury, and the statute says the commissioner shall comply once the criteria are met. Under Section 100C, a not guilty finding, a no bill, or a finding of no probable cause is sealed automatically unless the defendant asks in writing that it not be, while a nolle prosequi or dismissal is sealed by the court if it appears that substantial justice would best be served.
Which courts does masscourts.org cover?
The Massachusetts Trial Court's seven departments: District Court, Superior Court, Probate and Family Court, Housing Court, Land Court, Boston Municipal Court, and Juvenile Court.
How do I get a certified copy of a Massachusetts court record?
Contact the clerk's office of the court where the case was heard. Masscourts.org is a lookup tool, not the official or certified record.
Updates
Corrected the Massachusetts sealing procedure: convictions are sealed administratively by the Commissioner of Probation under G.L. c. 276 Section 100A rather than by a judge applying a good cause standard, the separate court and automatic tracks under Section 100C are now described, the statute's firearms, Chapter 268 and 268A, and sex offense exclusions were added, and an unverifiable seven-day hearing notice claim was removed.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 276
§ 100ARequests to seal files; conditions; application of section; effect of sealing of recordsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
Section 100A. Any person having a record of criminal court appearances and dispositions in the commonwealth on file with the office of the commissioner of probation may, on a form furnished by the commissioner and signed under the penalties of perjury, request that the commissioner seal the file. The commissioner shall comply with the request provided that: (1) the person's court appearance and court disposition records, including any period of incarceration or custody for any misdemeanor record to be sealed occurred not less than 3 years before the request; (2) the person's court appearance and court disposition records, including any period of incarceration or custody for any felony record to be sealed occurred not less than 7 years before the request; (3) the person had not been found guilty of any criminal offense within the commonwealth in the case of a misdemeanor, 3 years before the request, and in the case of a felony, 7 years before request, except motor vehicle offenses in which the penalty does not exceed a fine of $50; (4) the form includes a statement by the petitioner that he has not been convicted of any criminal offense in any other state, United States possession…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at malegislature.gov
Cited in 21 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Commonwealth v. Vickey (1980) held that a full pardon does not bring a conviction within section 100A and that courts may not use inherent power to bypass its waiting period. Rzeznik v. Chief of Police of Southampton (1978) held that sealing does not erase a conviction; police, courts and appointing authorities keep access.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Police Commissioner v. Municipal Court of Dorchester District (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 1978, 374 Mass. 640)✓After a juvenile's delinquency complaint was dismissed, a judge ordered police to expunge his arrest records; the court read § 100A as covering court and probation records, found no statutory right to expunge police records, and rested that power on the court's own jurisdiction.
- Commonwealth v. Vickey (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 1980, 381 Mass. 762)✓A man pardoned for a false bomb report asked a judge to seal his conviction record although he did not qualify under § 100A; the court held the sealing statutes plainly list the qualifying dispositions and a pardon is not among them, and affirmed the refusal to seal.
- Commonwealth v. Pon (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 2014, 469 Mass. 296)✓While a driver's appeal from a denied discretionary sealing petition was pending, the Commissioner of Probation sealed his OUI record under § 100A; the court held that mooted his petition and declined to reach the Commonwealth's claim that § 100A is unconstitutional.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Massachusetts Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), Massachusetts Expungement and Record Sealing Laws (M.G.L. c. 276)
United States Code Title 15
§ 1681cRequirements relating to information contained in consumer reportsIn forcecited in 61 of our articles
Except as authorized under subsection (b), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information: Cases under title 11 or under the Bankruptcy Act that, from the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication, as the case may be, antedate the report by more than 10 years. Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest that, from date of entry, antedate the report by more than seven years or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is the longer period. Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report by more than seven years. Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which antedate the report by more than seven years. Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-16 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 383 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (2017) addressed the FACTA truncation rule in 1681c(g) and affirmed dismissal for lack of Article III standing, treating material risk of harm as a fact question. Edward Seamans v. Temple University (2014) held the seven-year window in 1681c(a)(4) is extended for an education loan only until that loan is repaid.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2017, 872 F.3d 114)✓A shopper sued two stores whose receipts printed the first six digits of his credit card number; the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal for lack of standing, seeing no clear error in the finding that those digits show only the card issuer, not a material risk of identity theft.
- Edward Seamans v. Temple University (Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2014, 744 F.3d 853)✓A defaulted university loan kept appearing on a borrower's credit reports after he repaid it because the school never reported the delinquency date; the Third Circuit held the Higher Education Act suspends section 1681c(a)(4)'s aging-off rule only until repayment.
- Gonzales v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2011, 660 F.3d 1055)✓A debt buyer offered to settle health club debts over seven years old, saying that if it was reporting the account the bureaus would be told it was settled; the Ninth Circuit, treating those debts as unreportable under section 1681c(a)(4), called that implication misleading.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record? (2026), Background Check Laws by State (2026 Guide), Alabama Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Sources and References
- Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access (masscourts.org)(masscourts.org).gov
- Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 276, Section 100A, Sealing of Criminal Records(malegislature.gov).gov
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Open Courts Compendium: Massachusetts(rcfp.org)
- Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. Section 1681c(law.cornell.edu)
- FTC, FTC Says TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate Deceived Users About Background Report Accuracy, Violated FCRA(ftc.gov).gov
- Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 276, Section 100C, Sealing of Records After Not Guilty Finding, No Bill, No Probable Cause, Nolle Prosequi or Dismissal(malegislature.gov)