Quincy Probate Court Records

Quincy probate court records are managed by the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court in Canton. The courthouse is at 35 Shawmut Road, about 8 miles southwest of Quincy center. Norfolk County serves 28 communities south and west of Boston, and Quincy is the largest city in the county. Whether you need to look up a will, check on an estate case, or find a guardianship filing, you can start with a free online search through MassCourts or go to the Canton courthouse. Norfolk County probate records date back to 1793, when the county was first formed.

Where Quincy Probate Cases Are Filed

Quincy residents file probate cases at the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court. The court moved from historic Dedham to Canton as part of a Trial Court consolidation effort in the late 1990s. The current building has modern facilities, free parking, and better accessibility than the old Dedham location. Register William R. Cushing manages the office and oversees all case files.

The courthouse sits near Route 95/128. Free parking is available in lots at the front and back of the building. Public transit is limited here. The closest commuter rail stop is Route 128 Station on the Providence/Stoughton line, but it is about 1.5 miles from the courthouse. Most people drive. Inside, the first floor has the Register's Office where you file papers and pick up copies. Five courtrooms are on the second floor. The Probation Department handles family law matters on the third floor.

Search Quincy Probate Court Records Online

The fastest way to find Quincy probate court records is through the MassCourts portal. It is free and open to the public. Choose "Probate & Family Court" and select the Norfolk division. You can search by name or case number. Results show party names, case type, filing dates, docket entries, and scheduled court dates. Cases filed since 2009 may include document images that you can view right on the screen.

Norfolk County case numbers start with "NO" followed by the two-digit year, case group code, and sequence. Knowing the docket number gives you the most direct results. Name searches work too, but they can bring up many hits if the name is common. Use the mass.gov docket search guide to learn how to narrow your results and read case number formats.

The Norfolk Probate Court runs a virtual registry by phone. Call 1-646-828-7666 and use meeting ID 1617846497. Staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. They can look up cases, confirm filing status, and answer questions about court records. This is useful if you cannot make the trip to Canton. For written requests, email the court at NCPFC@jud.state.ma.us or check the virtual registry page for more details.

For records not in MassCourts, contact the Norfolk County clerk at (781) 830-1200 or check the historic records guide on mass.gov to see what older probate files are available online.

The image above shows the PFC 18 request form page on mass.gov. This is the official form you use to get certified copies of any probate court record from Norfolk County.

Quincy Probate Filings and Fees

Probate filings in Quincy follow the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code under M.G.L. c. 190B. The most common filing is an informal probate petition (MPC 150). The Register reviews it without a hearing. Formal probate involves a judge and a scheduled court date. Both paths start at the same base fee of $375.

Here are the main filing fees for Quincy probate cases:

• Informal probate: $375 plus $15 surcharge ($390 total)
• Formal probate: $375 plus $15 surcharge plus $15 citation ($405 total)
• Voluntary administration: $100 plus $15 surcharge ($115 total)
• Guardianship of a minor: no fee
• Guardianship of incapacitated person: $240 plus $15 ($255 total)
• Conservatorship: $240 plus $15 ($255 total)

Account filing fees depend on estate value. Estates under $25,000 pay nothing. Estates worth $25,001 to $100,000 pay $100. Larger estates pay more, up to $3,500 for estates over $10 million. The full breakdown is on the mass.gov fee schedule. Low-income filers can ask for a fee waiver through an Affidavit of Indigency.

Electronic filing through eFileMA is available for most case types. New cases cost $22 for the provider fee. Credit card transactions add 2.89%. ACH payments cost $0.25. This saves you a trip to Canton.

Copies of Quincy Probate Records

The PFC 18 form is what you use to request certified copies from the Norfolk County Probate Court. Fill in the court division, docket number, case name, and the specific documents you need. Mail the completed form with payment to 35 Shawmut Road, Canton, MA 02021. Make checks payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Plain copies are $1.00 per page. Attested copies run $2.50 per page. Certified guardianship decrees cost $22.00 each. Conservatorship decrees are $21.00. By mail, only attorney's checks, money orders, or bank certified checks are accepted. In person, the court takes cash and credit cards too. The copy request page has step-by-step instructions.

Norfolk County has probate records from 1793 onward. The county was formed that year from parts of Suffolk County. Historical records through about 1900 are available online through AmericanAncestors and FamilySearch. The collection includes over 30,793 cases with more than 796,527 pages of file papers. John Adams' will was probated here on August 1, 1826. Under M.G.L. c. 215, Section 1, the Probate Court holds exclusive jurisdiction over these matters, keeping all records in one court system.

Legal Help for Quincy Probate Matters

Court forms for all probate case types are free at mass.gov. Each form comes with instructions. The Trial Court help line at 1-833-912-6878 answers general questions about procedures Monday through Friday. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they explain how the process works and which forms to use.

The Massachusetts Bar Association referral service is at (617) 654-0400. A first meeting with a lawyer costs $25 for 30 minutes. Their free Dial-A-Lawyer program runs on the first Wednesday of each month. For Quincy residents looking for local guidance, the Norfolk County court staff can point you to forms and resources during any visit. The historic records guide on mass.gov is helpful if you are researching older Norfolk County cases for genealogy or estate research.

Norfolk County Probate Court Records

Quincy is in Norfolk County. The Norfolk County Probate and Family Court in Canton handles all probate filings for 28 communities. For more on county-wide resources, filing procedures, and historical records, visit the Norfolk County page.

View Norfolk County Probate Court Records

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Quincy that use nearby probate courts include:

Boston • Brockton • Weymouth • Brookline