Find Nantucket County Criminal Records
Nantucket County criminal records are managed by the courts in Nantucket Town and are part of the Massachusetts statewide case records system run by the Trial Court and DCJIS. Though Nantucket is a small island county with a year-round population of around 14,000, every criminal case filed there, whether at the Nantucket District Court or the Nantucket County Superior Court, creates a record in the same system used across all 14 Massachusetts counties. You can search those records online for free, request an official CORI report through iCORI, or contact the local courts directly if you need certified copies or case documents.
Nantucket County Overview
Nantucket County Courts
Nantucket County has two courts: the Nantucket County Superior Court and the Nantucket District Court, both located in Nantucket Town. The Superior Court handles serious felony cases and jury trials. It is one of the smallest superior courts in Massachusetts by caseload, but it operates under the same rules and procedures as every other superior court in the state. Cases can also be appealed from the district court to the superior court level when warranted.
The Nantucket District Court handles arraignments, bail hearings, misdemeanor trials, and lower-level felony proceedings. It is the first stop for most criminal matters that arise on the island. Both courts maintain records that are part of the statewide court records system, so they can be searched online through masscourts.org just like records from any mainland county.
| Nantucket County Superior Court | Nantucket Town, MA |
|---|---|
| Nantucket District Court | Nantucket Town, MA |
Note: Nantucket County is on Nantucket Island, accessible only by ferry or air. Visiting the courts in person requires planning for travel from Hyannis or other Cape Cod points. The Steamship Authority and Hy-Line Cruises run regular service, but scheduling and availability vary by season. Online access handles most record needs without requiring a trip to the island.
The Nantucket County Superior Court handles the most serious criminal matters on the island. Its records are part of the statewide Massachusetts court system and are searchable through the same online tools used for all other Massachusetts courts.
Search Nantucket County Criminal Records Online
The Massachusetts Trial Court's free public case search at masscourts.org is the easiest way to look up Nantucket County criminal records. Search by name or case number. Results include cases from both the Nantucket District Court and the Nantucket County Superior Court, showing charges, hearing dates, and outcomes for cases that have been processed. The system is free to use and available at any time without registration.
Online access is especially valuable for Nantucket given the logistics of traveling to the island. For most people, masscourts.org handles everything they need without requiring a ferry trip. The Massachusetts court docket search on mass.gov is a second option if you have a specific case number or docket reference. Both tools pull from the same underlying system.
If you need certified copies of case documents, you'd contact the clerk's office at the Nantucket District Court or the Superior Court by phone or mail. The clerk can tell you the current fee per page and how to submit a written request. Some requests can be handled by mail, which avoids the need to visit in person. Call ahead to confirm the process before sending anything.
What Is CORI and How It Applies to Nantucket
CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. It is the official Massachusetts criminal history record maintained by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, known as DCJIS. CORI is defined under MGL c. 6 § 167. It covers arrests, charges, arraignments, convictions, and acquittals from all Massachusetts courts, including those on Nantucket Island.
Every criminal case filed in a Nantucket County court becomes part of the statewide CORI database. The record is tied to the individual, not to the county. A person with a case in Nantucket and a prior case in Essex County would have records from both courts in one CORI report. That combined history is what comes back when DCJIS processes a CORI request for that individual. CORI is a full Massachusetts criminal history, not a county-by-county breakdown.
The level of detail in a CORI report depends on who is asking. The general public has access to a limited set of information for convictions within a certain lookback window. People requesting their own records get full access. Organizations that qualify under the law and register with DCJIS can see more. All of this applies to Nantucket County records the same as to records from any other county in the state.
The Massachusetts court system covers all 14 counties, including Nantucket. Case records from Nantucket courts are managed through the same statewide infrastructure as every other county, and the court system's website is a good resource for understanding how records are organized and accessed.
Requesting CORI Through iCORI
The iCORI system at mass.gov is the portal for official CORI requests. Individuals who want their own records create an account and verify their identity through the online portal. No in-person visit is required. The identity verification step is handled digitally. Most individual requests are returned within a few business days. Getting your own CORI is free of charge.
Organizations that need to request CORI on other individuals must register with DCJIS. Registration involves agreeing to the legal requirements for how CORI can be used and identifying who in the organization will have access. Once registered, organizations can submit requests through iCORI and pay $25 per subject. DCJIS is located at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. Their phone number is (617) 660-4640. Questions about registration, access levels, or specific requests can be directed there.
If the $25 fee creates a financial hardship, a fee waiver is available through an Affidavit of Indigency. The form is available from any Massachusetts court. For Nantucket residents, contacting the Nantucket District Court clerk's office to request the form by mail is an option that avoids travel time. Once you have the form, you submit it with your CORI request to DCJIS.
Sealing and Expungement in Nantucket County
Massachusetts law gives people two ways to limit access to their criminal records: sealing and expungement. Both apply to Nantucket County records just as they do to records from any other Massachusetts court.
Sealing under MGL c. 276 § 100A allows petitions to seal misdemeanor convictions after five years and felony convictions after ten years. The wait starts from the end of the sentence, including probation or parole. Cases that ended in dismissal or a not-guilty finding can be sealed immediately under § 100C with no waiting period. Once a record is sealed, it does not appear in public court searches or most background checks. Law enforcement retains the ability to see sealed records in certain situations.
Expungement under MGL c. 276 §§ 100E through 100U is a complete removal of the record from the system. It applies mainly to cases involving people who were under 21 at the time of the offense and certain qualifying first-time offenses. Waiting periods apply, and not every case is eligible. For Nantucket County records, the petition for sealing or expungement is filed at the court where the original case was heard, either the Nantucket District Court or the Nantucket County Superior Court. Legal aid organizations that serve Cape Cod and the islands can advise you on eligibility at no cost if you qualify for their services.
Law Enforcement on Nantucket Island
The Nantucket Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency on the island. The department handles most criminal matters that arise in Nantucket Town and across the island. The Massachusetts State Police also maintain a presence on Nantucket, particularly for serious or complex cases that require state-level resources.
Arrest records and police incident reports are held by the Nantucket Police Department. When charges are filed in the Nantucket District Court, those cases enter the statewide court records system and become searchable through masscourts.org. But the underlying arrest report stays with the police department. To get a copy of an arrest report or incident report, contact the Nantucket Police Department directly. Their records division can tell you the process and any applicable fees.
The VINE service at vinelink.com covers Nantucket County. It allows victims and concerned parties to register for notifications when an offender's custody status changes. This is a free service that works by phone or online and is available at any time.
Sex Offender Registry in Nantucket County
The Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board maintains the public registry for Level 2 and Level 3 registered sex offenders throughout the state. Nantucket County is included. You can search for offenders registered on Nantucket Island at mass.gov/orgs/sex-offender-registry-board. Use the town name or zip code to find results specific to Nantucket. Level 1 offenders are not in the public registry. The SORB database is a separate system from CORI, and searching SORB does not give you a full criminal history for a person. It only reflects current registration status for qualifying offenders.
SORB updates the public registry regularly. If you notice an error or an outdated listing, there is a process to report concerns through the SORB website. The registry is maintained by SORB, not by local law enforcement or the Nantucket courts.
Communities in Nantucket County
Nantucket County and the town of Nantucket are coterminous, meaning the county and the town share the same boundaries. The entire island makes up one county and one town. Nantucket Town does not meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page on this site. For criminal records related to any case from Nantucket, the Nantucket District Court handles lower-level cases and the Nantucket County Superior Court handles serious felony matters. Both are in Nantucket Town and are part of the statewide records system searchable through masscourts.org from any location.
Nearby Counties
Nantucket County is an island county with no land connections to other counties. The nearest counties are Barnstable to the north, reachable by ferry from Hyannis, and Dukes County (Martha's Vineyard) to the west, reachable by air or by sea. Cases involving people with ties to multiple counties may have records across more than one court system. Use the links below to find records from neighboring counties.