Bristol County Probate Court Records
Bristol County probate court records are filed at the Probate and Family Court, which operates three locations across the county. The main registry is in Taunton, with satellite offices in Fall River and New Bedford. This court serves 20 cities and towns in southeastern Massachusetts. You can search Bristol County probate filings online through MassCourts or visit any of the three court locations. Records here go back to 1686, and the court handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes for all Bristol County residents.
Bristol County Overview
Bristol County Probate and Family Court
The Bristol County Probate and Family Court has three locations. The main registry sits at 40 Broadway, Suite 240 in Taunton. This is where all probate records are kept and where most filings happen. Register Thomas C. Hoye, Jr. manages the office and oversees all document processing. First Justice Hon. Paul M. Cronan handles hearings. The Taunton office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can file new cases, look up probate court records, and get copies here.
The Fall River satellite is at 289 Rock Street. It has the same hours as Taunton and holds hearings, but its counter services are more limited. New Bedford sits at 505 Pleasant Street, and it is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday only. It closes on Wednesdays. New Bedford handles hearings but does not have full registry services. If you need to file something or pull a file for review, Taunton is the most reliable option.
Bristol County also has its own website separate from the mass.gov pages. This site has local forms, filing guides, and details about how to review court files at each location.
The mass.gov page for Bristol County shows court hours, phone numbers, and directions to all three locations.
| Court | Bristol County Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Main Address |
40 Broadway, Suite 240 Taunton, MA 02780 |
| Fall River | 289 Rock Street, Fall River, MA 02720 |
| New Bedford | 505 Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 |
| Phone (Taunton) | (508) 977-6040 |
| Phone (Fall River) | (508) 672-1751 |
| Phone (New Bedford) | (508) 999-5249 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (Taunton & Fall River); Closed Wednesdays (New Bedford) |
| Website | mass.gov - Bristol Probate Court |
Access Bristol County Probate Records Online
Bristol County is one of the few Massachusetts probate courts that runs its own website at bristolcountyprobate.org. The site has local forms, a file location chart, and specific instructions for requesting copies. It also posts notices about changes to court procedures. This is a good first stop before you go to the courthouse.
The county website includes details about file review policies, satellite office services, and links to commonly used probate forms.
For case lookups, use the MassCourts portal. Select "Probate & Family Court" and "Bristol" as the division. You can search by name, case number, or case type. Bristol County probate case numbers start with "BR" followed by the year and type code. Cases filed since 2009 may have viewable documents. Older Bristol County probate records show docket entries only. Under M.G.L. c. 215, the court has jurisdiction over all wills, estates, and trust matters, and most of these probate records are public.
The Bristol County virtual registry is available every weekday. Hours run from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and again from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Staff can help with record lookups and basic questions about probate filings.
The virtual registry lets you connect by Zoom or phone to get help with Bristol County probate court records without driving to any of the three locations.
Note: The virtual registry takes a lunch break from noon to 1:00 PM, so plan your call around that gap.
Reviewing Bristol County Probate Court Files
Bristol County has specific rules for reviewing probate court files in person. Without an appointment, you can look at up to three files on the same day. If you need more, you can request up to 12 files with advance notice. Email your request to bristolprobate@jud.state.ma.us by 3:00 PM and the files will be ready the next morning by 8:30 AM. Title examiners can book 30-minute appointments for up to 10 files at a time. Virtual work is encouraged for title searches when possible.
One thing to know about Bristol County probate records is the archive situation. Probate cases filed between 1931 and 1970 were moved to off-site storage in February 2022. If you need a file from that era, the court orders them from the archive on Fridays only. Allow extra time for these requests. A file location chart on the Bristol County probate website shows which files are on-site and which are in storage. For older records governed by M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-301, formal testacy proceedings may require a judge's order to unseal certain documents.
Copies follow the same statewide fees. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Attested copies are $2.50 per page. Use the PFC 18 form for mail requests. Make checks payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Filing Probate Cases in Bristol County
Bristol County serves 20 communities. The full list includes Acushnet, Attleboro, Berkley, Dartmouth, Dighton, Easton, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Mansfield, New Bedford, North Attleborough, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, and Westport. If the deceased lived in any of these places, their estate case goes to Bristol County under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 1-304.
Filing fees are the same as every other Probate and Family Court in Massachusetts:
- Informal probate: $390 ($375 plus $15 surcharge)
- Formal probate: about $405 with citation
- Voluntary administration: $115
- Guardianship of minor: no fee
- Guardianship of incapacitated person: $255
- Conservatorship: $255
You can file online through eFileMA for most case types. The eFiling guide on mass.gov explains which cases can be filed electronically. Paper filings go to the Taunton office. All probate court forms are free on mass.gov.
Note: Account filing fees vary by estate value, from $0 for estates under $25,000 up to $3,500 for estates over $10 million.
Historical Bristol County Probate Records
Bristol County probate records go back to 1686. The county was formed from Plymouth Colony in 1685, and court records started the next year. Online databases hold a large portion of these old files. American Ancestors has digitized 21,143 cases with 416,600 file papers covering 1761 to 1900. FamilySearch offers free indexes and images of Bristol County probate records from the colonial period forward.
Published abstracts also exist for the earliest records. H.L. Peter Rounds compiled abstracts of Bristol County probate records from 1687 to 1762. The Mayflower Descendant journal (Volume 3) covers 1762 to 1768. These printed sources are useful when the handwriting on original documents is hard to read. For records that have not been digitized, contact the Supreme Judicial Court Archives at (617) 557-1087 or visit the historic records guide on mass.gov.
You can search current Bristol County probate filings through MassCourts or visit the Taunton registry in person. For older archived cases that are not in the online system, contact the courthouse directly or check with the state archives.
Cities in Bristol County
Bristol County has 20 cities and towns. The three largest cities each have their own pages with local court details and probate resources.
Other communities in Bristol County include Attleboro, North Attleborough, Mansfield, Easton, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Somerset, Seekonk, Swansea, and more. All probate court records for these towns are filed at the Bristol County Probate and Family Court.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Bristol County. Make sure you file in the right county. Probate cases are filed where the deceased person lived, not where they owned property.