Plymouth County Family Court Records

Plymouth County family court records are filed and stored at the Probate and Family Court on Obery Street in Plymouth. This court handles divorce cases, child custody matters, support orders, guardianship petitions, and probate for all 27 towns in the county. Whether you need to search existing case records or file new papers, this guide walks you through how the court works, where to go, and what to expect when you look up Plymouth County family court records.

Plymouth Probate and Family Court

All family court records in Plymouth County are filed and kept at the main courthouse on Obery Street in Plymouth. This is where you go to file for divorce, open a guardianship, search old case files, or get certified copies of court orders. The court serves all 27 towns in Plymouth County, from Abington and Bridgewater in the north to Marion and Mattapoisett on the coast. Staff at the registry can pull up records by name or case number and help you request copies.

Plymouth County has one of the oldest continuous sets of probate records in the United States. The court has kept probate records since 1685, making it a valuable source for historical family research as well as current legal matters. If you need records from decades or even centuries past, staff can point you to the right archive. For modern family court records, the case management system holds everything digitally, and you can often find basic case information through the state's online portal before visiting in person.

The official Mass.gov location page for this court has current hours, contact details, and links to forms. You can view it at mass.gov - Plymouth Probate and Family Court.

The Mass.gov page below shows the Plymouth courthouse location, directions, and links to court services.

This page is the best starting point for confirming current hours and getting the latest filing instructions before your visit.

Brockton Courthouse: Hearings Only

The court also holds hearings at the Brockton courthouse on Main Street. This is important to understand: the Brockton location does not accept new filings. All papers must go to the Plymouth office. If you have a scheduled hearing at the Brockton location, you still filed the original case in Plymouth. The Brockton site is a hearing venue, not a registry.

Parking at both locations is free. At Plymouth, parking is available at the courthouse. At Brockton, there is a free lot behind the building. If you use public transit, the MBTA Kingston/Plymouth commuter rail line stops at Kingston Station, which is close to the Plymouth courthouse. The Middleborough/Lakeville line serves Brockton, and the Brockton Area Transit (BAT) Route 8 also runs to the Brockton courthouse area.

The Brockton location page on Mass.gov confirms current hours and hearing schedules for that site.

A Court Service Center operates out of the Brockton courthouse at 215 Main Street, 1st Floor. It serves people from Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, and the Islands. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, and on Friday from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Staff there can help you find forms and understand court procedures without giving legal advice.

First Justice of Plymouth Probate and Family Court is the Honorable Patrick W. Stanton. The Register is Matthew J. McDonough, and the Chief Probation Officer is Laurie Plante.

Plymouth County Virtual Registry and Online Access

The Plymouth Probate and Family Court runs a virtual registry that lets you take care of some court business without going in person. The virtual registry is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and again from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. You join by phone using the number 1-646-828-7666 and Meeting ID 1606727074. Through the virtual registry, you can ask questions, get help with filings, and handle certain administrative matters remotely.

For online case searches, MassCourts.org is the free statewide portal. It covers Plymouth County Probate and Family Court cases. You can search by the name of either party or by case number. The system shows docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. Some records may have restricted information, especially those involving children. The portal is a good first step before calling or visiting the court. It is free to use and available any time.

The virtual registry page above has full details on how to connect, what you can do remotely, and any changes to the schedule.

The Plymouth County Probate website is another useful resource. It has background on the court, record types, and local procedures specific to this county.

This site covers probate-specific records going back to the 1600s and includes guidance for researchers and attorneys alike.

What Plymouth County Family Court Records Contain

Family court records in Plymouth County cover a wide range of case types. Divorce records include the original complaint or joint petition, financial statements, child support worksheets, parenting plans, and separation agreements. The judgment of divorce nisi is the key document most people need. It contains all the terms set by the court: property division, custody, visitation, and any support orders. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 208, the court considers many factors when it divides property and sets support, and all of that gets recorded in the case file.

Beyond divorce, Plymouth County family court records include probate filings like wills, estate inventories, and creditor notices. Guardianship and conservatorship records are also part of the court's case files. These records are used when a family member needs someone appointed to manage their affairs. The court keeps these records permanently, and most are public. You do not need to be a party to the case to request copies of non-restricted documents.

Child support records are kept here as well. Child support orders, modification requests, and enforcement filings all go through the Probate and Family Court. If you need a copy of an existing order for a state agency or another court, the Register of Probate can provide certified copies. The fee schedule for copies is set statewide and available at mass.gov.

To get copies of case documents, use the court's request form. The Request for Copies form (PFC 18) can be submitted in person at the Plymouth office or by mail. The form is available at mass.gov - PFC 18. Plain copies and certified copies are priced differently. Certified copies carry a raised court seal and are needed for most official purposes.

Court Notifications and eReminder Service

Plymouth Probate and Family Court offers an eReminder text notification service. Once you opt in, you get a text message four days before and one day before any scheduled court event. This helps you keep track of hearings without checking the online docket every day. To sign up, you need your docket number and must complete opt-in form PFC 29. Details on signing up are at mass.gov - eReminder Notifications.

This service is free. It covers hearings, status conferences, and other events tied to your case. If you have multiple cases at the Plymouth court, you can opt in for each one separately using the docket number for that case.

Cities in Plymouth County

Plymouth County covers 27 towns. The qualifying cities below have their own family court records pages with local courthouse details and filing guidance.

Other towns in Plymouth County include Abington, Bridgewater, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater, and Whitman. All file their family court cases at 52 Obery Street in Plymouth.

Nearby Counties

Plymouth County borders several other Massachusetts counties. If you are not sure which county handles your case, your county is determined by where you or your spouse lives, not where the incident occurred.