Find Criminal History in Bristol County

Bristol County criminal history records span three Superior Court locations and five district courts across a county that stretches from Taunton down to the Rhode Island border. Because the county is large and has multiple court sites, knowing which court handled a case matters when you search. This guide covers the court structure, the Sheriff's office, the District Attorney, and how to request a CORI report or look up a case in the state's online portal for any individual or case in Bristol County.

Criminal History in Bristol County

Bristol County covers 691 square miles and 20 municipalities in southeastern Massachusetts. It is one of the larger counties in the state by area, and it has a significant criminal case load spread across its three major cities: Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford. Criminal history records from all Bristol County courts feed into the state's CORI system, which is run by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) in Chelsea.

CORI, short for Criminal Offender Record Information, captures arrests, charges, and case outcomes from courts statewide. The legal basis for the system is M.G.L. c. 6, § 167. Who can see what, and for how long, is governed by M.G.L. c. 6, § 172. Record sealing, which removes older or minor offenses from a CORI report after a waiting period, is covered under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A. Not all criminal records are public. Some cases are sealed, and others may be restricted based on the offense type or the person's age at the time of the offense.

One thing that sets Bristol County apart is its three-site Superior Court setup. Most Massachusetts counties have a single Superior Court building, but Bristol has court facilities in Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford. This matters if you need to track down a specific case file in person.

Bristol County Superior Courts

Bristol County Superior Court operates from three locations, which reflects how spread out the county's population is across its major cities. The Taunton courthouse is at 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780, and the phone number is (508) 823-6588. This is the main seat of the Superior Court and handles cases from Taunton, Attleboro, and the northern part of the county. The Fall River courthouse is at 441 North Main Street, Fall River, MA 02720, phone (508) 679-2421. New Bedford's courthouse is at 1213 Purchase Street, 7th Floor, New Bedford, MA 02740, phone (508) 997-2963.

All three locations handle felony trials, grand jury proceedings, and serious criminal matters. If a district court case results in a felony indictment, it moves to the nearest Superior Court location. Court records from all three sites are part of the public record and are searchable through the Massachusetts court portal. If you need a document copy, contact the clerk's office at the specific location that handled the case. Certified copies are $2.50 per page, and plain (non-certified) copies are $0.05 per page.

The official Mass.gov page for the Bristol County Superior Court has current information on all three courthouse locations, including hours and contact details for each clerk's office.

The Massachusetts court system website shows all three Bristol County Superior Court locations and their contact information.

Bristol County is unusual in having Superior Court facilities in three cities, making it easier for residents across the county to access court services locally.

District Courts in Bristol County

Bristol County's five district courts handle the majority of criminal case filings in the county. These courts cover arraignments, bail hearings, misdemeanors, and lower-level felonies. The five district courts are in Attleboro, Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, and Wareham. Each serves a geographic area of the county, and the Wareham court also handles some cases from Plymouth County municipalities near the border.

The Fall River and New Bedford district courts are among the busier lower courts in the state because of the population in those cities. Cases that start at these courts and require a jury trial on felony charges are transferred to the nearest Superior Court location. Most cases, though, resolve at the district court level through plea agreements, dismissals, or bench trials.

You can search records from all five district courts through the masscourts.org portal. A name search will return results from every court in the system. If you are searching for a specific case, having the case number speeds things up. Document requests go to the clerk's office of the specific court that filed the case.

Bristol County Sheriff's Office

The Bristol County Sheriff's Office is at 400 Faunce Corner Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747. The phone number is (508) 995-6800. Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson leads the office. The Sheriff oversees the county's correctional facilities, including the Bristol County House of Correction, which holds people who are awaiting trial or serving sentences of under 2.5 years. The office also operates inmate work and education programs. You can find information on the Sheriff's facilities and services at bcsoma.org.

The Sheriff's office does not provide public criminal record lookups. Records of who is currently incarcerated are maintained internally, but public criminal history searches go through the CORI system or the court portal. If you have a specific need related to an inmate or a court-ordered matter, the Sheriff's office can direct you to the right contact.

Bristol County Probate Court and DA

The Bristol County Probate and Family Court is at 11 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780. The phone number is (508) 822-6500. This court handles civil matters including guardianships, conservatorships, and related proceedings. While it is not a criminal court, certain matters that arise from criminal cases, such as guardianship of someone found incompetent, can pass through here. The official page for the Bristol Probate and Family Court has hours and contact information.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office is at 9 Court Street, 1st Floor, Taunton, MA 02780. The phone is (508) 823-6700. DA Thomas M. Quinn III heads the office. The DA prosecutes criminal cases across all Bristol County courts. This office does not offer public record lookup services. Criminal case outcomes from DA prosecutions become part of the CORI record for the individual charged. Victims of crime in Bristol County can contact the DA's office for assistance from victim-witness advocates.

The Probate and Family Court information on Mass.gov shows the Taunton location and its role in the county's court system.

The Probate Court in Taunton serves all 20 Bristol County municipalities for civil family and guardianship matters.

How to Access Bristol County Criminal Records

Getting criminal history records in Bristol County works the same way as in the rest of Massachusetts. You have two main tools: the CORI system for a personal background report, and the court case portal for case-specific records. Neither tool replaces the other, and knowing which one to use depends on what you are looking for.

To request your own CORI report, use the iCORI portal. This is the state's self-service system for CORI requests. You set up an account, verify your identity, and pay the $25 fee for a personal CORI. An open-access CORI, which shows a broader record, costs $50. DCJIS manages the system from their office at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. You can call them at (617) 660-4600. The state's CORI request guide for individuals lays out each step. The full law on criminal records is summarized at the Massachusetts CORI law page.

For court records, go to masscourts.org. You can search by name or case number across all Bristol County courts, including all three Superior Court sites and the five district courts. Docket entries and hearing records appear in the portal. For physical document copies, you contact the clerk's office at the court where the case was filed. Certified copies cost $2.50 per page. Non-certified copies are $0.05 per page. If you need a document from a case that predates the online system, a written request to the clerk's office is the right approach. Bristol County's three Superior Court locations each have their own clerk's office, so make sure you contact the right one based on where the case was filed.

Between iCORI and masscourts.org, most criminal history searches for Bristol County can be done online without visiting a courthouse. The two systems give you different views of the same underlying record system, and together they cover most of what you are likely to need.

Cities in Bristol County

Bristol County has 20 municipalities. New Bedford, Fall River, and Taunton have dedicated pages with more detail on local criminal history resources.

Nearby Counties

Bristol County borders three Massachusetts counties. Each has its own courts and criminal history systems.