Find Hampshire County Felony Records

Hampshire County felony records are kept at the Superior Court in Northampton and at district courts in Northampton and Belchertown. This guide covers how to search Hampshire County felony case records online and in person, how the CORI system works for criminal history, and what you can expect from each court and law enforcement office in this western Massachusetts county.

Hampshire County Superior Court Felony Records

The Hampshire County Superior Court is the primary court for felony cases in this county. It sits at 15 Gothic Street in Northampton, MA 01060. Phone: (413) 584-5810. This is where grand jury indictments are filed, felony trials take place, and felony sentences are handed down. Case records held here include indictments, trial transcripts, plea agreements, and final judgments. The clerk's office keeps all of these documents and handles public record requests.

To search Hampshire County felony records at the Superior Court, you can visit in person during business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring the defendant's full name or a case number. Staff can look up whether a case exists and pull the file. Plain copies of documents cost a set fee per page. Certified copies cost more. Call the clerk at (413) 584-5810 before you go to confirm current fees and find out if there is anything special needed for your request.

Online searches are available through masscourts.org. This free portal covers the Hampshire County Superior Court along with both district courts. You can search by party name or case number. The system shows docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. It does not give you access to the full documents. For those, you need an in-person or written request to the clerk's office.

The Hampshire County Superior Court in Northampton handles all major felony proceedings for the 23 towns in this western Massachusetts county.

Hampshire County District Courts and Felony Case Records

Hampshire County has two district courts. The Northampton District Court is at 15 Gothic Street, Northampton, phone (413) 584-7403. The Eastern Hampshire District Court is at 15 Garrison Drive, Belchertown, phone (413) 323-6500. Both handle the early stages of felony proceedings, including arraignments, bail hearings, and probable cause hearings. Once a grand jury hands down an indictment, cases move to Superior Court.

District court records for Hampshire County felony cases include the initial complaint, arrest records, bail conditions, and any pretrial rulings. Even after a case moves up to Superior Court, the district court file stays at the district level. Searching both courts can help you track the full timeline of a case from first appearance to final judgment.

All three Hampshire County courts are searchable through MassCourts. If you know which court handled a specific stage of a case, search that court first. If you are not sure, start with a name search that covers all courts in the county. The portal will return results from any court that has a matching record.

Hampshire County Felony Records via CORI

Massachusetts runs criminal history information through the CORI system managed by DCJIS. CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. Under MGL Chapter 6, CORI records include charges and dispositions from all Massachusetts courts, including Hampshire County. A felony conviction from Hampshire Superior Court will show up on a CORI report. Felony records remain on a standard CORI for 10 years. Convictions for murder or sex offenses carry no time limit.

You can request your own CORI from DCJIS at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. Phone: (617) 660-4600. The personal CORI fee is $25, waived if you qualify as indigent. DCJIS mails the result to you. If you want to check your own record to see what Hampshire County cases appear, this is the right path. Organizations with an authorized CORI purpose can also access records, but they must be registered with DCJIS.

Searching the state court portal by name and date range is the fastest way to find Hampshire County felony case information before making an official request to the clerk's office.

Hampshire County Sheriff and Jail Records

The Hampshire County Sheriff's Office is at 116 North Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA 01060. Phone: (413) 584-5911. The Sheriff runs the county jail and house of correction, which holds people arrested in Hampshire County who are awaiting trial or serving shorter sentences. If someone is being held in connection with a Hampshire County felony charge, the Sheriff's Office can confirm their custody status.

The Sheriff's website has inmate search information. You can check whether someone is currently held in the Hampshire County facility. For people who have already been released or who were sentenced to state prison, the county Sheriff's records will not reflect their current status. State prison sentences in Massachusetts are served at DOC facilities, not county jails. For those cases, check the state Department of Correction inmate locator separately.

Hampshire County criminal records resources can supplement official court searches when you are trying to piece together the history of a case across multiple sources.

Hampshire County DA and Prosecution Information

The Hampshire County District Attorney's Office is at 1 Gleason Plaza, Northampton, MA 01060. Phone: (413) 586-9225. This office prosecutes all felony cases brought from Hampshire County courts. The DA works with law enforcement agencies across all 23 towns in the county, from Northampton and Amherst to smaller towns like Ware and Belchertown.

The DA's office does not give out case files to the public. Their role is to prosecute cases, not maintain public records. But they can sometimes confirm whether a case is being actively prosecuted or has been resolved. For actual case documents and records, go to the Superior Court or district court clerk. The DA's office works out of the same building as the Hampshire Superior Court, which can make it easier to handle both stops in one visit to Northampton.

Sealing Hampshire County Felony Records

Massachusetts law allows people to seek sealing of felony convictions after a set waiting period. Under MGL Chapter 276, Section 100A, the wait is seven years from conviction or release, whichever comes later. Once sealed, the record does not show up on standard CORI checks. Courts, law enforcement, and certain government agencies can still access sealed records, but the general public cannot.

To seal a Hampshire County felony conviction, you file a petition with the court that handled your case. If the conviction came from Hampshire Superior Court, that is where you file. If it came from Northampton District Court or Eastern Hampshire District Court, file there. The process is free and you do not need a lawyer, though one can help. MassLegalHelp provides guides on eligibility and how to fill out the petition. Greater Boston Legal Services also has resources for people navigating the sealing process.

Cities and Towns in Hampshire County

Hampshire County has 23 towns. No towns in Hampshire County meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site. Communities in the county include Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, South Hadley, Belchertown, Ware, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Pelham, Greenwich, and others. All felony cases from these communities are handled by the Hampshire County Superior Court and the two district courts in Northampton and Belchertown.

Nearby Counties

Hampshire County borders Hampden, Franklin, Worcester, and Berkshire counties. If you are unsure which county handled a case, search MassCourts by name across multiple counties or call the court clerk for the area where the arrest occurred.