Bristol County Criminal Records

Bristol County criminal records are held across several courts and agencies spread through New Bedford, Fall River, and Taunton. This guide covers how to search court dockets, request CORI reports, and contact the right office for the specific Bristol County criminal record you need. Whether you want your own record or need to look up a public case file, the steps here will point you in the right direction.

Bristol County Superior Court

Bristol County has three Superior Court locations. Criminal sessions run in New Bedford and Fall River. The New Bedford courthouse sits on County Street and handles a large share of felony cases for the county. Fall River's courthouse on South Main Street serves the southern cities. Taunton has a Superior Court location as well, though it focuses more on civil matters. All three locations share the same clerk system, so a case that starts in one city may have records filed at any of the three.

The New Bedford Superior Court is your main point of contact for serious Bristol County criminal records. You can call ahead to confirm which location holds the file you need.

The official Superior Court page for Bristol County is at mass.gov/locations/bristol-county-superior-court, where you can find current hours and contact details.

The Bristol County Superior Court page at mass.gov shows the full detail for each location.

The Superior Court in New Bedford handles felony criminal cases for Bristol County and maintains permanent records of all filings, verdicts, and sentencing orders.

Bristol County District Courts

Most criminal cases in Bristol County begin at the district court level. There are four district courts spread across the county, each covering specific towns. Misdemeanor cases and arraignments typically stay at the district court. Felony cases can be sent up to Superior Court after a probable cause hearing.

Each court keeps its own docket. If you don't know which court handled a case, you can search the free public lookup tool at masscourts.org. That site covers all Massachusetts trial courts, so it's a good first stop before you call a clerk.

You can also access the Massachusetts Trial Court system overview at mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-court-system to find forms and filing instructions.

Bristol County Criminal Records: What They Contain

Court-held criminal records in Bristol County show the full history of a case from filing through resolution. A typical case file includes the defendant's name, date of birth, and address at the time of arrest. It also lists the charges, the date of arraignment, any bail conditions, and subsequent court dates. For cases that go to trial, the record shows the verdict. For cases that resolve by plea, you'll see the plea agreement and sentencing details. Probation terms and restitution orders are part of the record too.

CORI reports go further. A CORI, or Criminal Offender Record Information report, is the official state-maintained record and is managed by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services in Chelsea. A full CORI shows all Massachusetts arrests and charges, including cases that ended in dismissal or a finding of not guilty. It includes dispositions coded as guilty, not guilty, dismissed, or continued without a finding (CWOF). Sentences, probation status, and open warrant information are also in the report.

District Court criminal files in Bristol County are kept for 10 years after a case closes. Superior Court criminal files are kept permanently. Juvenile records are sealed until the subject turns 27, at which point they may be accessible depending on the charge type.

How to Get a Bristol County CORI Report

CORI reports are issued through the state's iCORI system, not through the individual courts. To request your own record, visit the CORI information page at mass.gov and create an iCORI account. You can get your own record once per year at no charge. After that, each request costs $25. The fee applies regardless of whether the report returns any results.

If you can't afford the fee, Massachusetts allows you to file an Affidavit of Indigency to request a waiver. The affidavit form is available at any courthouse.

The DCJIS office handles all iCORI matters from its Chelsea location. You can reach them by phone if you have questions about your request or your account.

Bristol County Sheriff's Office

The Bristol County Sheriff runs the county jail and house of correction. Inmates at the Bristol County House of Correction are held at the facility on Faunce Corner Road in North Dartmouth. The Women's Center and the Ash Street Jail in New Bedford are also under the Sheriff's management.

If you need to find out whether someone is currently in custody in Bristol County, the Sheriff's Office offers an online inmate locator on its website. You can also call the main number during business hours. VINELink, available at vinelink.com, provides automated custody status notifications if you want to be alerted when someone's status changes.

Bristol County District Attorney

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office handles prosecution of criminal cases across the county. The DA's office also holds public records that may be accessible under the Massachusetts Public Records Law. These include certain case records, complaint records, and related documents not protected by an exemption.

To make a public records request to the DA's office, you can email the Records Access Officer directly. Requests should include as much detail as possible: the case number, the names of the parties, and the approximate date of the incident. The office aims to respond within 10 business days, though complex requests can take longer.

The Bristol County DA's website at bristolda.com has more on the office's services and how to contact staff.

The District Attorney's Office maintains prosecution records for Bristol County criminal cases and can respond to public records requests through its Records Access Officer.

Sealing and Expungement in Bristol County

Massachusetts law gives people a path to seal or expunge old criminal records under certain conditions. Sealing is governed by MGL c. 276 § 100A, which sets waiting periods of five years for misdemeanor convictions and ten years for felony convictions. Dismissals and not-guilty findings can often be sealed right away under § 100C without any waiting period.

Expungement is a newer and more complete remedy. Under MGL c. 276 §§ 100E through 100U, eligible records can be fully removed from the state system. Expungement is limited to specific situations, such as cases involving charges that no longer exist as crimes, or cases where the person was a juvenile at the time. Not every Bristol County criminal record qualifies.

To start a sealing or expungement petition, you file with the court that originally handled the case. The clerk's office at the Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, or Attleboro District Court can give you the correct forms. There is no filing fee for sealing petitions in Massachusetts.

For more detail on the law, the Massachusetts law about CORI page at mass.gov is a good reference.

Fees for Bristol County Court Records

Copying fees at Bristol County courts are set by state law. Standard black-and-white copies from the clerk's office cost $0.05 per page. If you need official court copies, the price goes up to $1.00 per page. Certified copies, which carry the court seal and are accepted as legal documents, cost $4.50 per page. A name search of the court index is free for the first two hours; after that, the clerk charges $25 per hour of staff time.

CORI report fees through iCORI are separate from court fees. Standard access costs $25 per request. An Open Access CORI, which provides broader detail, costs $50. If you qualify for an indigency waiver, ask the clerk for an Affidavit of Indigency form before you pay.

Police Records in Bristol County

Local police departments in Bristol County maintain their own arrest records and incident reports separate from court files. These records are subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law but are held at the department level, not at the courthouse. You need to contact the specific department that made the arrest or filed the report.

Most departments accept written requests by mail or in person. Some, like New Bedford, have online request forms. Include the full name of the subject, the date of the incident, and a copy of your ID when you submit a request.

Cities in Bristol County

These cities in Bristol County have individual records pages with court and agency details specific to each location.

Nearby Counties

Bristol County borders Norfolk County to the north and Plymouth County to the east. Both counties maintain their own court systems and CORI access points.