Start with the Massachusetts record system that matches what you need
Massachusetts criminal information is split between several systems. Trial Court dockets are accessed through MassCourts and courthouse clerk offices; name-based criminal-history reports are handled through CORI and iCORI; police and arrest records may require a Public Records Law request; prison custody uses the Department of Correction and VINELink; and sex-offender information has its own SORI process. Choosing the right source first can save a lot of time.
Massachusetts does not have one all-purpose criminal-record database
The fastest route depends on what happened and which agency created the record. A Trial Court docket, CORI report, police incident report and state-prison custody record can describe different stages of the same event.
Court case information
Use for criminal dockets, parties, case events, hearings, dispositions and public court records.
CORI
Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information is a name-based criminal record check administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services.
Arrest and incident material
Public police information may be obtained from the agency that created the record, subject to Public Records Law exemptions and CORI restrictions.
Jail / House of Correction
County sheriffs operate local jails and houses of correction. These are separate from Massachusetts Department of Correction prisons.
State prison
Massachusetts directs the public to VINELink to locate people housed in DOC facilities.
Sex-offender information
Public sex-offender information is governed by separate access rules and does not simply mirror a person’s CORI.
How to search Massachusetts criminal court dockets online
The Massachusetts Trial Court provides public electronic docket access through MassCourts.org. The portal can show party, event, docket and disposition information. Depending on the court department and case type, some additional information may also be available.
Open Massachusetts Trial Court Case AccessOpen MassCourts.org
Complete the anti-robot check and select the option to search public records.
Select the court department
For criminal matters, the most relevant choices are commonly District Court, Boston Municipal Court or Superior Court.
Select the division and court location
Choose the court where the case was filed. Selecting the wrong court location can lead to an empty search even when the case exists elsewhere.
Enter the criminal docket number exactly
Massachusetts currently limits ordinary public remote criminal-case searching primarily to the case/docket number.
Review events and disposition
Do not stop at the charge description. Review the docket to determine whether the case is pending, dismissed, resolved by plea, resulted in conviction or ended another way.
Official instructions: Massachusetts Court System — How to search court dockets.
Why you usually cannot search Massachusetts criminal cases online by defendant name
This is one of the most important Massachusetts-specific limitations. Under the Trial Court’s remote-access rules, public internet searches of criminal cases are limited to case number. The policy is designed to provide access to specific public court dockets without turning the Trial Court portal into a name-based criminal-history database.
MassCourts remote public portal
Best when: you already have the criminal docket/case number.
Main limitation: public criminal searches are generally case-number based.
CORI / iCORI
Best when: you need an authorized name-and-date-of-birth criminal-history check.
Main limitation: CORI access varies by requester and does not equal every court or police record.
Was the case in District Court, Boston Municipal Court or Superior Court?
Choosing the right Massachusetts court can be more important than trying different spellings of a name.
Most communities outside BMC territory
District Court handles all misdemeanors except criminal libel, felonies punishable by up to five years in state prison, and certain additional felonies identified by statute. More serious cases can begin here before moving to Superior Court.
Boston-area divisions
The BMC serves Boston and Winthrop through eight divisions and handles many of the same categories of criminal matters handled by District Court elsewhere.
Indicted and serious criminal cases
Superior Court can hear all criminal cases. More serious matters often reach Superior Court after a grand-jury indictment.
Find the appropriate court using the official Massachusetts court-location directory.
How to read a Massachusetts criminal docket without misreading the outcome
| Item | What it means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint | A charging document used in many District Court and BMC criminal cases. | Whether each count remains pending and how it was disposed. |
| Indictment | A criminal charge returned by a grand jury, generally associated with Superior Court prosecution. | The Superior Court docket number and final result. |
| Arraignment | The first court appearance at which charges are formally presented. | An arraignment does not establish guilt. |
| Disposition | The result of a charge or case. | Look for conviction, dismissal, acquittal, nolle prosequi or another resolution. |
| Nolle prosequi | A prosecutor’s formal decision not to continue prosecuting a charge. | Do not describe the charge as a conviction. |
| Sentence | The penalty or court-ordered conditions following an applicable adjudication. | Check custody, probation, fines and related terms. |
Use a courthouse kiosk when the online criminal search is not enough
Massachusetts Trial Court rules allow public access to qualifying court records at the courthouse. Clerk offices also maintain public computer kiosks. Unlike the remote public portal, courthouse criminal-record searches are not limited in the same way to case number.
A courthouse search is particularly useful when:
- you do not know the docket number
- you need to search a public criminal record by name
- you need documents that are not remotely available
- you want the official public case record
- you need an attested or certified-type copy
- the electronic docket appears incomplete
What Massachusetts CORI actually is
CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. The Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) administers the iCORI system.
A name-based CORI check searches using identifying information such as a person’s name and date of birth and returns Massachusetts information available to that particular requester. It is not a fingerprint-supported nationwide criminal-history search.
Open official Massachusetts CORI informationAs of September 28, 2026, DCJIS is also publishing training information connected with modernization of the iCORI system. Because the interface may change, use the current Mass.gov CORI page rather than relying on old screenshots or third-party instructions.
Personal CORI and public Open CORI do not show the same information
| Access type | Examples of information that may be returned | Important exclusions / limits |
|---|---|---|
| Personal access | Adult and youthful-offender convictions, non-convictions and pending cases, plus specified civil and non-incarcerable offenses. | Does not return sealed or juvenile offenses under ordinary personal access. |
| Open access | Certain recent convictions and specified serious convictions under statutory time windows. | Does not return non-convictions, pending cases, sealed cases, civil or non-incarcerable offenses. |
| Standard / required access | Authorized employers, agencies and organizations may receive different levels depending on law and purpose. | There is no single employer-access rule that applies to every requester. |
Current Open CORI time windows
DCJIS currently states that ordinary Open CORI access can include:
- murder, manslaughter or sex-offense convictions regardless of the age of the conviction;
- misdemeanor convictions when the disposition or release date is less than one year before the request;
- felony convictions when the disposition or release date is less than two years before the request; and
- certain felonies punishable by five or more years in state prison for a longer statutory window, currently up to ten years after disposition or release as applicable.
How to request your own Massachusetts CORI
DCJIS allows an individual to request a certified copy of their personal CORI.
Use iCORI if you have qualifying Massachusetts identification
DCJIS currently states that an online individual account requires a valid Massachusetts driver’s license or Massachusetts identification card.
Register as an individual
Follow the official iCORI registration process and select the option for your own Personal CORI.
Use the paper form if online identity requirements are not met
Individuals without a qualifying Massachusetts license or ID can use the official Personal CORI Request Form and submit it by mail as directed on the form.
Allow for processing
DCJIS says CORI requests may take up to 10 business days, although many are processed sooner.
| Request | Current fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Personal CORI | $25 | Per personal request. |
| Open access CORI | $50 | Per open-access request. |
| Affidavit of indigency | $0 | A fee-waiver route is available when applicable. |
Can an ordinary member of the public request someone else’s CORI?
Massachusetts provides an Open CORI category for members of the general public, but it is intentionally narrower than personal CORI and many authorized employment or government checks.
A public requester should use the official DCJIS Open CORI process rather than treating MassCourts as a name-based statewide background-check database.
Find out who has requested your CORI with a self-audit
Massachusetts offers a useful privacy tool that many record-search guides overlook: an individual can request a CORI self-audit.
The report identifies non-criminal-justice organizations that have requested the person’s CORI. Requests made by law-enforcement or criminal-justice agencies are not included.
DCJIS currently allows one self-audit every 90 days without a fee. Additional self-audits requested within the same 90-day period cost $25.
Request a CORI self-auditFingerprint-supported checks are different from ordinary CORI
Massachusetts distinguishes between name-based CORI checks and fingerprint-supported criminal-record checks.
CORI
Uses identifying information such as name and date of birth and contains Massachusetts information available to the requester’s access level.
SAFIS / authorized checks
Matches fingerprints to state and potentially national criminal-history information. Access is tied to authorized agencies, employers and statutory purposes rather than functioning as an unrestricted public people-search service.
Massachusetts’ Statewide Applicant Fingerprint Identification Services program is known as SAFIS.
Official SAFIS informationHow to find Massachusetts police, arrest and incident records
If the information you want was created by a police department rather than a court, start with the law-enforcement agency that created the record.
Massachusetts Public Records Law generally applies to records made or received by state agencies and municipalities, but exemptions can protect parts of criminal-investigation files, private information and other protected material.
City or town incident
Locate the police department’s Records Access Officer or public-records page.
Massachusetts State Police record
Massachusetts State Police accepts public-records requests through its Public Records Unit.
District Attorney records
Prosecutorial records may have separate access rules and significant exemptions, particularly while an investigation or prosecution is active.
Massachusetts State Police requests: official MSP public-records instructions.
Massachusetts Public Records Law: a practical request workflow
The Commonwealth requires agencies and municipalities to designate Records Access Officers, commonly called RAOs. The most effective request normally goes to the RAO for the agency or municipality that actually created or received the record.
Identify the record custodian
For a local arrest, that may be the city or town police department. For a State Police incident, direct the request to MSP rather than DCJIS.
Describe the existing record precisely
Include the date or date range, incident number if known, location, record type and any other detail that helps identify the requested material.
Prefer a written request
Massachusetts does not require a special request form, but a written request creates a record of what you asked for and is important if you later appeal a denial.
Watch the 10-business-day response period
The Records Access Officer must provide the required initial written response within 10 business days.
Review exemptions or redactions
If information is withheld, the agency should identify the legal basis for withholding it.
Appeal when appropriate
A requester who is denied public records can seek review from the Massachusetts Supervisor of Records under the applicable procedure.
Public Records Division guidance: Making a Public Records Request.
Booking photos, police logs and CORI are not the same thing
Massachusetts CORI regulations specifically distinguish several records from CORI itself. For example, booking photographs by themselves, daily police logs and arrest registers are not automatically treated as CORI simply because they relate to criminal activity.
That does not mean every booking photo, report or log is automatically available without restriction. Public-record exemptions, privacy rules, investigatory concerns and other laws can still affect disclosure.
Massachusetts county jail records are separate from state-prison records
Each Massachusetts county sheriff’s office, except Nantucket, oversees a jail. Jails commonly hold people awaiting trial or sentencing. Sheriffs also operate Houses of Correction, which can hold sentenced individuals under Massachusetts’ correctional structure.
These local facilities should not be confused with institutions operated by the Massachusetts Department of Correction.
How to find someone housed in a Massachusetts state prison
The Massachusetts Department of Correction directs the public to VINELink to locate someone housed in one of its facilities.
You will generally need either:
- the person’s full first and last name
- the person’s commitment number
DOC notes that only the Massachusetts Department of Correction participates in the Massachusetts VINE program. County jail custody therefore requires a separate local search.
Official Massachusetts inmate-locator instructionsVINELink support phone published by Massachusetts: 866-277-7477.
Massachusetts sex-offender records use a separate SORI system
The Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) provides public Sex Offender Registry Information through its own rules and search process.
Members of the public can access information about qualifying Level 2 and Level 3 offenders. Level 1 offender information is not available to the general public.
Use the online ESORI portal when you have identifying information
The online request process uses details including first name, last name and date of birth.
Use a local police department for local SORI requests
Massachusetts also permits certain in-person requests through city and town police departments.
Check the Appeals Court if the criminal case was appealed
Massachusetts appellate cases have a separate online docket-access path. Appeals Court docket entries can be searched by docket number, involved party, attorney appearance, lower court or lower-court judge, except for fully impounded cases.
If a Trial Court docket shows an appeal, following the appellate docket can help explain whether a conviction, sentence or legal ruling was affirmed, reversed, modified or sent back to the lower court.
Massachusetts Appeals Court case informationJohn Adams Courthouse
One Pemberton SquareBoston, MA 02108
Public appellate case documents that are available for inspection can be accessed through the applicable appellate clerk’s office procedures.
Massachusetts court-copy fees and how to get the official record
The online docket is useful for research, but Massachusetts states that the official public record of the Trial Court is obtained through the Clerk, Register or Recorder’s office where the case was filed.
| Record or service | Current statewide fee | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Unattested copy / printout | $0.05 per page | Ordinary informational copy. |
| Attested copy of court document or docket | $2.50 per page | When formal authentication by the clerk is needed. |
| Certificate of order, judgment or proceeding | $20 | Certificate regarding a qualifying court action. |
| PDF / electronically formatted court document | $5 per document | When the clerk can provide an electronic court record. |
| Electronic hearing audio | $10 per case, per day | Subject to availability and court rules. |
Massachusetts court rules also allow public inspection of qualifying court records without a reproduction fee. Under the current rule, a clerk must allow qualifying use of a personal handheld imaging device to make copies when permitted by the rule and courthouse conditions, without charging a court-copy fee for that self-service reproduction.
Verify current fees before ordering: Massachusetts Trial Court Uniform Schedule of Fees.
What to do when a Massachusetts criminal case is too old for the normal online search
Older court records can require a different workflow from current Trial Court cases.
Search current electronic court access first
Start with MassCourts when you have the necessary docket information.
Contact the court that heard the case
A recent historical file may still be managed locally even if it is not fully available online.
Use the Supreme Judicial Court Archives when appropriate
Massachusetts maintains a Court Archives information-request process for historic records no longer maintained by the local court.
Massachusetts legal research guidance notes that various county-court records dating from 1636–1860 are held in the Judicial Archives of the State Archives. For very old criminal matters, useful identifying details include the person’s name, approximate year and type of case.
Court Archives information requestSealed and expunged Massachusetts criminal records
Sealing and expungement have different legal effects in Massachusetts.
Public access becomes restricted
A qualifying record may be sealed so it is not available through ordinary public access, subject to the rules governing who may still access sealed information.
Record is destroyed
Massachusetts describes expungement as permanent destruction of the qualifying record so that it is no longer accessible by the court or state, municipal or county agencies.
Current conviction-sealing waiting periods
Massachusetts currently states that an eligible conviction may generally be requested for sealing:
- Misdemeanor: 3 years after conviction or release from incarceration, whichever is later
- Felony: 7 years after conviction or release from incarceration, whichever is later
Other rules apply to dismissals, nolle prosequi dispositions, offenses that cannot be sealed, and expungement. Eligibility should be checked against the current court guidance rather than inferred from the age of a case.
Official sealing instructions Official expungement guideWhat to do when your Massachusetts criminal record is wrong
A mismatch can happen when a court disposition has not been reflected correctly, an entry remains open when the case has closed, or identifying information is incorrect.
Get your own CORI
Review the complete report available to you rather than relying on a third-party summary.
Compare it with the court docket
Verify the case number, charge and final court disposition.
Identify which record is wrong
If a closed case appears open on CORI, Massachusetts directs individuals to seek a case update through the appropriate Probation Department/court process.
Use the official correction procedure
DCJIS provides guidance for correcting state criminal-record information.
DCJIS Civil Background Screening Services Unit: 617-660-4640, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Massachusetts state searches do not replace federal criminal-record searches
A Massachusetts CORI check contains Massachusetts information under the applicable CORI access rules. A federal prosecution is instead maintained by the federal judiciary.
PACER
Use PACER to search federal district and appellate court case information.
Open PACER case-search guidanceIdentity History Summary
The FBI provides a fingerprint-based process for individuals requesting their own Identity History Summary.
FBI Identity History SummaryMassachusetts DCJIS contact location
DCJIS
200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200Chelsea, MA 02150
Main phone: 617-660-4600
Civil Background Screening Services: 617-660-4640
Use the official iCORI or mail procedures for criminal-history requests. The physical location shown here should not be interpreted as a walk-in CORI service instruction.
Massachusetts criminal-record search tips that prevent common mistakes
Get the docket number first
It is the key identifier for a remote MassCourts criminal search.
Search the right court level
A serious prosecution may move from District Court to Superior Court after indictment.
Use courthouse kiosks for broader case searching
Courthouse criminal-case searching is not restricted in the same way as remote public name searching.
Don’t confuse CORI with court dockets
CORI access depends on the requester’s legal access level; court access is governed separately.
Recent arrest? Start locally
The arresting police department or county sheriff may be more useful than waiting for a court-history search.
Check the final disposition
A charge description tells you what was alleged, not how the case ended.
Use the correct Public Records Law process
Police records go to the agency’s RAO; court case records go through court-access procedures.
Look for an appeal
A Trial Court outcome may have been changed or reviewed in the Appeals Court or Supreme Judicial Court.
Old record? Think archives
Historical files may require the local court or Supreme Judicial Court Archives instead of MassCourts.
Employment, housing and other background-check decisions need extra care
Publicly accessible criminal-record information should not automatically be treated as a compliant employment or tenant-screening report. Massachusetts CORI law establishes different access levels and restrictions for different requesters, while federal consumer-reporting and anti-discrimination requirements can also apply depending on the purpose of the check.
Questions people commonly have about Massachusetts criminal records
1. Can I search Massachusetts criminal court cases online for free?
Yes. MassCourts provides public electronic access to qualifying Trial Court docket information without a search fee. Most criminal cases on the public remote portal are searched by docket number.
2. Can I search MassCourts for a criminal case using only a person’s name?
Public remote criminal searches are generally limited to case number. Courthouse public-access kiosks provide broader access and are not subject to the same case-number-only restriction.
3. Is CORI the same as a Massachusetts court docket?
No. CORI is a regulated criminal-history system administered by DCJIS. A court docket is a record of a particular court case maintained by the Massachusetts judiciary.
4. How much does a personal Massachusetts CORI cost?
DCJIS currently lists the fee for a personal CORI request as $25. A fee-waiver process using an Affidavit of Indigency is available when applicable.
5. How much does an Open CORI request cost?
DCJIS currently lists an Open Access CORI request at $50 per request.
6. How long does a CORI request take?
DCJIS says CORI requests may take up to 10 business days, although many are processed sooner.
7. Where can I find a person in a Massachusetts state prison?
The Massachusetts Department of Correction directs users to VINELink for people housed in DOC facilities. County jails are operated separately by county sheriffs.
8. Are all Massachusetts sex offenders searchable online?
No. Level 1 offender information is not available to the public. Online public information covers Level 3 offenders and Level 2 offenders classified after July 12, 2013. Other Level 2 information may require a local police or SORI request.
9. Does sealing a Massachusetts criminal record mean it was expunged?
No. Sealing restricts ordinary public access. Expungement is a different process that Massachusetts describes as permanently destroying the qualifying record.
10. Does a Massachusetts CORI search include federal cases?
No. CORI is a Massachusetts criminal-record system. Federal court cases are maintained separately and can generally be researched through PACER.
Primary government sources for checking current procedures
- Massachusetts Court System — Search court dockets, calendars and case information
- Massachusetts Court System — How to search court dockets
- Trial Court Rule 5 — Remote access to electronic court records
- Trial Court Rule 2 — Courthouse record access
- Department of Criminal Justice Information Services — CORI
- DCJIS — Levels of name-based criminal record access
- DCJIS — Personal and Open CORI requests
- Secretary of the Commonwealth — Public Records Law requests
- Massachusetts DOC — Find someone housed in a Massachusetts prison
- Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board — SORI requests
- Massachusetts Court System — Seal a criminal record
- Massachusetts Court System — Expunge a criminal record