Taunton Criminal History Records
Taunton criminal history records are held by the Taunton Police Department, the Taunton District Court, and the Bristol County Superior Court. Taunton is the county seat of Bristol County, which means both the Superior Court and the Bristol County Probate Court are located right in the city, at 9 Court Street and 11 Court Street respectively. With about 57,000 residents, Taunton is one of the larger cities in southeastern Massachusetts, and its criminal cases move through a well-established court system that also serves many of the surrounding communities.
Taunton Overview
Where Taunton Criminal Cases Are Filed
Taunton criminal cases begin at the Taunton District Court. This court handles arraignments, bail hearings, and trials for misdemeanors and lower-level felony charges arising within Taunton and the surrounding area. The district court is the starting point for the vast majority of Taunton criminal matters. Its docket is free to search through the state portal at masscourts.org.
Because Taunton is the county seat of Bristol County, the Bristol County Superior Court is located right in the city at 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780. The phone number for the Superior Court is (508) 823-6588. When a case involves a serious felony charge or a grand jury indictment, it moves from the district court to the Superior Court, which is just blocks away. This proximity makes Taunton unusual compared to most Massachusetts cities, where the Superior Court is in a different part of the county.
The Bristol County Probate and Family Court is also in Taunton, at 11 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780. That court handles estate, guardianship, and family law matters rather than criminal cases, but it is worth knowing it is there if you need it. Its page is at mass.gov/locations/bristol-probate-and-family-court. For criminal case records across Bristol County, you use the district court or Superior Court dockets, both searchable at masscourts.org.
The Bristol County Sheriff's Office also plays a role in the county's criminal justice system, overseeing the county house of correction. Their website is at bcsoma.org. More information on the full Massachusetts court system is at mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-court-system.
Taunton Police Department Records
The Taunton Police Department handles requests for arrest records, incident reports, and booking records for events within Taunton city limits. The Records Division processes these requests and provides copies to people who are authorized to receive them under state law.
The Taunton Police Department is at 23 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 02780. The main number is (508) 823-5000. For records requests, call the Records Division at extension 2334. You can submit requests in person during normal business hours or by mail. Include the date of the incident, the location, any known report number, and a valid photo ID. Fees apply for copies and vary by report type and length.
Arrest records document when and where a person was taken into custody, what charges were listed at the time of arrest, and which officer made the arrest. These records are separate from court records. An arrest record does not show how a case ended. To find out the final outcome, search the Taunton District Court or Bristol County Superior Court docket at masscourts.org or call the relevant clerk's office directly.
The department's website at taunton-ma.gov/police has more information on the department and how to contact them. Walk-in requests during business hours are generally the fastest option. Mail requests work for those who cannot come in person. Third parties face more limits on what they can access, depending on the nature of the report and whether the case is still active.
If a Taunton incident involved the Massachusetts State Police or another agency, you may need to contact those agencies separately. The Records Division can tell you which reports are held by Taunton PD and whether another department responded to the same call.
Taunton City Clerk and Public Records
The Taunton City Clerk handles public records requests for documents held by the city. The clerk does not maintain criminal case files, which are kept by the courts and the police department, but the office is the right contact for city-generated records and vital documents.
The City Clerk is at 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 02780. The phone number is (508) 821-1020. The clerk's page is at taunton-ma.gov/city-clerk. Under Massachusetts public records law, city agencies must respond to public records requests within ten business days. If you are looking for criminal records, the clerk's staff can point you to the police department or the correct court.
For city-held documents that are not court records, such as internal police department records not part of a court file, a written public records request through the city clerk is the right approach. Submit it in writing, keep a copy, and note the date you sent it. If the city denies your request, you have the right to appeal, and the clerk can explain the process. Massachusetts public records law is enforced by the Secretary of State's office, which handles appeals when agencies do not comply.
Court Records Online Search
The Massachusetts court portal at masscourts.org is the free public tool for searching case records across the state trial courts. For Taunton cases, search the Taunton District Court and Bristol County Superior Court. Enter a full name or a case number to find charge descriptions, docket entries, hearing dates, and current status. The portal covers most active and recently closed cases.
Sealed records do not appear in public portal searches. Older cases filed before the courts started uploading records electronically may also be missing. If a case does not show up online, call the clerk's office at the Taunton District Court or the Bristol County Superior Court at (508) 823-6588 to ask whether the file exists in paper form. The clerk can tell you whether the case is sealed or simply not yet in the online system.
Certified copies of court documents cost $2.50 per page at most Massachusetts trial courts. Plain copies cost less. Certified copies carry the court seal and the clerk's signature, which makes them legally valid for official use. You can request copies in person at the clerk's office, by mail, or through eFileMA.com for electronically filed cases. Include the case number to speed up the request. Because both the Superior Court and the District Court are in Taunton, getting copies in person is easier here than in many other Massachusetts cities.
The Bristol County Probate and Family Court maintains records for estate and family law matters across the county. The image below shows that court's page, which is part of the broader set of public resources available for Bristol County.
The Bristol Probate and Family Court page at mass.gov covers the court at 11 Court Street in Taunton, right next to the Superior Court.
Both the Probate Court and the Superior Court are in Taunton, making it the central hub for Bristol County criminal and civil court matters.
CORI: Criminal Offender Record Information
CORI is the official Massachusetts criminal history record. It is compiled and kept by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, or DCJIS. A CORI report covers arraignments, charges, dispositions, and sentences from Massachusetts courts. It does not include out-of-state records or federal criminal cases.
Taunton residents can request their own CORI online through iCORI at icori.chs.state.ma.us. You set up an account, verify your identity, and submit the request through the portal. The fee for a personal CORI is $25. Online processing takes 24 to 48 hours. Mail requests sent to DCJIS take about ten business days. The full guide for individuals is at mass.gov/how-to/request-cori-as-an-individual.
DCJIS is at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. Their phone number is (617) 660-4600. The agency's page is at mass.gov/orgs/department-of-criminal-justice-information-services. CORI is governed by M.G.L. c. 6 § 167 and M.G.L. c. 6 § 172, which set out what records are included and who can access them.
If you find an error in your CORI, DCJIS has a formal dispute process. Submit a written challenge and the agency reviews the entry against court and law enforcement records. If the error is confirmed, they correct it. The full rights overview is at mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-criminal-records-cori. Open-access CORI requests for certain public categories cost $50. Most people only need the $25 personal request to view their own record.
Sealing Criminal Records in Taunton
Massachusetts law allows qualifying records to be sealed under M.G.L. c. 276 § 100A. Sealing hides the record from most public searches, including the masscourts.org portal and standard CORI results. The underlying file still exists in the system and remains accessible to courts and law enforcement in future proceedings.
Misdemeanor records may be eligible for sealing three years after the end of the case. Felony records generally require a seven-year wait. Some offense categories are not eligible for sealing at all. A Taunton resident seeking to seal a record must file a petition at the court that handled the case. For Taunton District Court cases, file at that clerk's office. For Bristol County Superior Court cases, file at the Superior Court clerk at 9 Court Street in Taunton. Because the district court and Superior Court are both in Taunton, filing is more straightforward here than in many communities where the Superior Court is in another city.
Expungement is a newer and narrower option. It is available for certain offenses committed by young adults and for cases involving identity fraud or misidentification. Expungement fully removes the record from state systems. The petition goes to the court that handled the original case. Both sealing and expungement involve forms, waiting periods, and court review. For Taunton residents who qualify, either process can be worth pursuing. The Massachusetts court system's website has current guidance on eligibility and procedures for both options.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Taunton with criminal history pages include New Bedford, Fall River, Brockton, Plymouth, and Weymouth.
Bristol County Criminal History Records
Taunton is the county seat of Bristol County, which means the Superior Court and Probate Court are both located right in the city. The county page covers the full range of courts, clerks, and agencies that handle criminal history records across Bristol County, including the district courts in New Bedford, Fall River, Attleboro, and other Bristol County communities.