Hampshire County Family Court Records

Hampshire County family court records are held at the Probate and Family Court in Northampton, now located at 15 Atwood Drive after a recent move from its prior address. The court serves all 20 towns in the county, from Northampton and Amherst to smaller communities like Worthington and Middlefield. If you need to search divorce filings, custody orders, guardianship petitions, or probate documents tied to a Hampshire County case, this page covers how to reach the court, how to look up records, and what those records typically contain.

Hampshire County Probate and Family Court

The Hampshire County Probate and Family Court handles all family court filings for the county. The court moved to its current location at 15 Atwood Drive in Northampton. If you have an old address on file, do not use it. The court is off Route 5 near Exit 18 off Interstate 91, and free parking is available on site. The building is accessible by public transit through PVTA Routes R41, R42, B43, B44, and the Link413 service, all of which serve Atwood Drive.

The Register's Office can be reached at (413) 586-8500. Probation uses a separate direct line at (413) 586-8503. The court's fax number is (413) 584-1132. For accessibility needs, the ADA Coordinator is Mark Ames, reachable at (413) 587-5229. If you have a question before you go, you can email the court at hampshireprobate@jud.state.ma.us. Staff there can point you in the right direction for most basic requests.

Hours are slightly different on Mondays. The court opens at 8:30 AM on Mondays rather than 8:00 AM. Tuesday through Friday, it opens at 8:00 AM. All days close at 4:30 PM. Plan around this if you are making a Monday visit, especially for early appointments or drop-offs.

The Hampshire Probate and Family Court listing on mass.gov has current contact details and confirms the Northampton address. Check there before visiting to make sure nothing has changed.

Court Relocation and New Address

The Hampshire Probate and Family Court has moved. The new address is 15 Atwood Drive, Northampton, MA 01060. Anyone who has an older address from prior filings or legal documents should update their records. The move was officially announced through the Massachusetts court system and is documented on mass.gov.

The move notification on mass.gov confirms the new location and includes guidance for parties with pending cases who need to update their contact information with the court.

The Atwood Drive building is easy to reach from the highway. Take Exit 18 off I-91, then follow Route 5 toward the courthouse. PVTA bus service connects the building to Northampton's downtown and to surrounding towns including Amherst and Easthampton. Transit route details are at pvta.com.

Hampshire County Family Court Virtual Registry

Hampshire County offers a Virtual Registry for people who cannot come to the courthouse in person. This is not available every day. The Virtual Registry is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You join through Zoom at zoomgov.com/my/hampshirepf. You can also call in at 1 (646) 828-7666 using Meeting ID 16067663380. This is a good option for people who live in Amherst, Ware, or other parts of the county that are farther from Northampton.

The Virtual Registry handles many of the same tasks as the in-person clerk window. You can ask about case status, request copies of documents, or get help with forms. It does not cover everything, and some requests still need to be made in writing or in person. If you have a question about whether your request can be handled virtually, call (413) 586-8500 before your planned session.

The Virtual Registry page on mass.gov has the Zoom link, call-in number, and hours for the Hampshire County Probate and Family Court's remote access service.

The court also runs a satellite office schedule. On the first and third Thursday of each month, the satellite office is open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. You must call ahead to make an appointment: (413) 586-8500. This service is available for people who need in-person help but have difficulty reaching the main Northampton location.

The Virtual Registry Zoom room is open three days per week and allows Hampshire County residents to access court services without traveling to the Northampton courthouse.

Hampshire County Probate Court Online Listing

The official court listing on mass.gov is the best place to confirm current hours, phone numbers, and services at the Hampshire Probate and Family Court. It also links to specific service pages, including the Virtual Registry and the move notification. Bookmark the page if you have an active case or expect to file one soon, since details can change.

The mass.gov court listing for Hampshire County shows the address, phone number, hours, and links to virtual services and forms at the Northampton courthouse.

Searching Hampshire County Family Court Records

The main online tool for searching Hampshire County family court records is MassCourts.org. This is the state's public case lookup system. Enter a name or case number to see docket entries, hearing dates, and case status for matters filed at the Hampshire Probate and Family Court. The system is free to use and does not require an account. Some records, particularly those involving minors or sealed filings, may have limited information visible online.

For in-person searches, go to 15 Atwood Drive in Northampton during court hours. The Register's Office staff can help you search by name or case number. Bring identification. If you know the case number, searching goes faster. For older cases that may not be in the electronic system, staff may need to pull physical files from storage. Allow extra time for those requests.

To get copies of any document, use the PFC 18 form. This is the standard court form for requesting certified or plain copies of case documents. You can find it at mass.gov. Submit the form in person, by mail, or through the Virtual Registry. The fee schedule for copies is listed at mass.gov's filing fees page. Certified copies cost more than plain ones and are needed for legal purposes like name changes, insurance claims, or property transfers.

You do not need to be a party to the case to request most records. Hampshire County family court records are public, with some limits on documents that involve children or sealed matters. If access is denied, the court will tell you why.

What Hampshire County Family Court Records Contain

Hampshire County family court records cover several types of cases. Divorce records are the most commonly requested. A divorce file contains the original complaint or joint petition, financial statements from both parties, and the separation agreement if one was reached. The judgment of divorce nisi is the main document most people need after a case ends. It lays out the terms ordered by the court for property, custody, support, and any other issues in the case.

The court also holds guardianship records. These are filings where someone asks the court to appoint a guardian for a minor or an adult who cannot manage their own affairs. Conservatorship records are related. A conservator manages the finances of a person who is incapacitated. Both types of cases create files that stay at the court and can be searched by the public unless sealed.

Probate records are another major category handled here. Wills, estate inventories, letters testamentary, and accountings are all kept at the Hampshire Probate and Family Court. When someone dies with property in Hampshire County, the probate case is filed in Northampton. These records can be useful for heirs, attorneys, creditors, or anyone researching an estate.

Most Hampshire County family court records are accessible to the public. Some financial details and information about children may have restricted access. If you need a certified copy for legal use, request it through the court using the PFC 18 form.

• Divorce records (complaints, financial statements, judgments nisi, separation agreements)
• Guardianship records for minors and incapacitated adults
• Conservatorship filings and orders
• Probate records (wills, inventories, letters testamentary, accountings)
• Name change petitions and orders
• Paternity filings
• Abuse prevention orders (209A)

Filing Family Court Cases in Hampshire County

Divorce cases in Hampshire County are governed by Chapter 208 of the Massachusetts General Laws. To file here, you or your spouse must live in one of Hampshire County's 20 towns. The court covers Amherst, Belchertown, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Northampton, Pelham, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Ware, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington.

Massachusetts allows two main paths for a no-fault divorce. A 1A joint petition lets both spouses file together with a signed separation agreement already in place. A 1B complaint is filed by one spouse when the parties have not reached a full agreement. Under state law, a 1A judgment of divorce nisi takes 120 days to become absolute, while a 1B judgment becomes final after 90 days. Both types of cases create records that become part of the Hampshire County court files held in Northampton.

During a pending case, the court may issue temporary orders covering things like custody of children, child support, or use of the marital home. These orders stay in effect until the final judgment or until modified. All temporary orders and final judgments are part of the case file. Changes to orders after the divorce, such as custody modifications or support adjustments, are also filed here and added to the record.

Towns in Hampshire County

All 20 towns in Hampshire County file family court cases at the Hampshire Probate and Family Court at 15 Atwood Drive in Northampton. No towns in Hampshire County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Towns served include Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, South Hadley, Ware, Hadley, Hatfield, Belchertown, Granby, Southampton, Williamsburg, Westhampton, Huntington, Goshen, Chesterfield, Cummington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfield, and Worthington. All divorce, custody, guardianship, and probate matters for residents of these towns are handled at the Northampton courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Hampshire County borders four other counties. If you are not sure which court handles your case, confirm the town where you live before filing. Each county has its own Probate and Family Court.