Middlesex County Criminal History Records

Middlesex County is the most populous county in Massachusetts, home to over 1.6 million people across 54 cities and towns. Criminal history records for people charged or convicted in this county flow through two Superior Courts, eleven District Courts, and the state CORI system. This page explains where those records live, how the courts are set up, and what steps you can take to search or request criminal history information tied to Middlesex County cases.

How Criminal History Works in Middlesex County

When someone is charged with a crime in Middlesex County, that charge gets reported to the state. The Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, known as DCJIS, maintains a centralized database called CORI, which stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. Every arrest, charge, conviction, or dismissal that happens in a Middlesex County court becomes part of that person's CORI record. The process is the same whether the case was handled at a small district court in Ayer or at the Lowell Superior Court.

CORI records are governed by M.G.L. c. 6, § 167 through § 178B. Individuals have the right to request their own CORI at any time. The fee is $25 for a personal request. You can submit that request online through the iCORI portal, or by mail to DCJIS at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. Mail requests take up to ten business days to process.

The iCORI system is the fastest way to get a copy of your own record. Create an account, verify your identity, and submit your request. Results come back digitally. If you need a certified copy for a court proceeding or other official purpose, you will need to contact DCJIS directly or request through the clerk's office at the relevant courthouse.

Records of sealed or expunged cases do not appear on standard CORI results. Sealing is available for certain older convictions and dismissals under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A. If you believe a Middlesex County case should be sealed, you can file a petition at the court where the case was heard.

Middlesex County Superior Court

Middlesex County has two Superior Court locations. The Woburn courthouse handles the bulk of felony criminal matters for the eastern part of the county. The Lowell courthouse serves the northern and western areas. Both locations handle the same types of cases: felonies, serious misdemeanors, and cases that were indicted by a grand jury.

The Woburn Superior Court is at 200 Trade Center, Woburn, MA 01801. You can reach the clerk's office at (781) 939-2700. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Lowell Superior Court sits at 370 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852, and can be reached at (978) 453-9119, also open weekdays from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The official listing for the Middlesex County Superior Court on Mass.gov provides current contact details and any schedule updates. Case records from both locations are accessible online through masscourts.org. Basic docket searches are free. Certified copies of documents cost $2.50 per page. Non-certified copies cost $0.05 per page. A certificate of judgment runs $20.00.

The Middlesex County Superior Court official page shows current contact details, hours, and how to reach each clerk's office.

The screenshot above shows the Superior Court's Mass.gov listing, which is the best place to confirm current hours before visiting in person.

District Courts Serving Middlesex County

Most criminal cases in Middlesex County begin at one of the eleven District Courts. These courts handle misdemeanors, lower-level felonies, arraignments, and bail hearings. Many cases resolve entirely at the district court level without moving up to Superior Court. That means the district court record is often the most complete record of a case.

The eleven District Courts serving Middlesex County are located in: Ayer, Cambridge, Concord, Framingham, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Newton, Somerville, Waltham, and Woburn. Each court serves a specific set of municipalities. For example, the Cambridge District Court handles cases from Cambridge, Belmont, and Arlington. The Lowell District Court covers Lowell, Dracut, and Tyngsborough.

To find the right district court for a specific town or city, use the court finder tool on Mass.gov. Once you know the court, you can look up case records at masscourts.org or visit the clerk's office in person. Clerks can provide docket sheets, charging documents, and disposition records for cases heard at that location.

District court criminal records also feed into the state CORI system. So even if a case was dismissed at arraignment, that event may still show up in a CORI report until the record is sealed. This is worth understanding if you are reviewing your own record.

Middlesex County Probate and Family Court

The Middlesex Probate and Family Court is at 208 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141. The phone number is (617) 768-5400. This court does not handle criminal cases, but it holds records related to guardianship, mental health commitments, and restraining orders, all of which may be connected to a person's broader legal history. The Probate and Family Court listing on Mass.gov has current hours and filing information.

Visit the Middlesex Probate and Family Court page for location details and how to reach the clerk's office.

The Probate and Family Court page includes directions, contact numbers, and filing guidance for cases heard at the Cambridge location.

Middlesex County Sheriff's Office

The Middlesex County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. The office is at 400 Mystic Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, and can be reached at (781) 960-2800. The Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and house of correction, handles civil process service, and runs community corrections programs. Inmate records and booking information may be available through the sheriff's website or by contacting the jail directly.

For people looking into whether someone is currently held in the Middlesex County jail, the Sheriff's Office is the right contact. Visiting hours, inmate lookup, and civil process records are all handled through the Middlesex Sheriff's Office website. Criminal history records from a jail stay or sentence served in Middlesex County will also appear in the state CORI system once the case is finalized in court.

The Middlesex Sheriff's Office website provides inmate information and a full list of services available to the public.

The Sheriff's Office site lets you search for current inmates and find information about civil process service and community programs.

District Attorney and Prosecution Records

The Middlesex County District Attorney is Marian T. Ryan. The office is at 15 Commonwealth Avenue, Woburn, MA 01801. The main phone number is (781) 897-8300. The DA's office prosecutes all criminal cases in the county, from misdemeanors at the district court level to murder cases in Superior Court. Case files held by the DA's office are not public records in the same way that court dockets are, but information about active prosecutions and outcomes is reflected in the court record.

The Middlesex County District Attorney's website has information about programs, victim services, and how the office handles different types of cases. If you need information about a specific case that was prosecuted by this office, the court record at masscourts.org is the right starting point. The DA's office does not provide individual case information to the public on request.

Accessing Court Records and CORI for Middlesex County

There are two main paths for accessing criminal history information tied to Middlesex County. The first is the state CORI system. Personal CORI requests go through the iCORI portal or by mail to DCJIS. The cost for a personal request is $25. The DCJIS CORI unit can be reached at (617) 660-4640. Full guidance on requesting your own record is available at the Mass.gov CORI request page.

The second path is the public court record system. Court case records for Middlesex County cases are searchable at masscourts.org. The basic docket search is free and gives you access to case numbers, charge descriptions, and disposition dates. This covers both district court and Superior Court matters. If you need physical copies of documents from a court file, you visit or write to the clerk's office at the relevant courthouse and pay the applicable copy fees.

For background on the full legal framework governing criminal records in Massachusetts, the CORI law overview on Mass.gov is a clear starting point. It explains what is in a CORI report, who can access different levels of information, and what rights individuals have to review and challenge their records. The rights granted under M.G.L. c. 6, § 172 give individuals the ability to review their own records and correct any errors through a formal process with DCJIS.

Cities in Middlesex County

Several Middlesex County cities have dedicated criminal history pages with local court details, addresses, and resources specific to those areas.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Middlesex County. If you need records from a neighboring area, use the links below.