Probate Court Records in Dukes County

Dukes County probate court records are held at the Probate and Family Court in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. This court serves seven towns across the island and the Elizabeth Islands. You can search for wills, estate cases, guardianship orders, conservatorship files, and trust records through this office. The island location makes this one of the most isolated probate courts in Massachusetts. Both current and historical records are available, with files going back to 1690. Online searches work through MassCourts, and you can also reach the court by phone or email for help with record requests.

Dukes County Probate and Family Court

The Dukes County Probate and Family Court sits at 81 Main Street in Edgartown. The mailing address is P.O. Box 237, Edgartown, MA 02539. Register Daphne Devries manages the clerk side. First Justice Hon. Susan Jacobs presides over court matters. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

You can call the court at (508) 627-4703 or (508) 627-4704. The fax line is (508) 627-7664. Email goes to dukesprobate@jud.state.ma.us. Ryan Searle serves as the ADA coordinator. This court handles all probate matters for the seven towns on Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. That includes wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes, and adoption cases. The year-round population is about 21,000, but it swells to over 100,000 in the summer months. Peak filing times often line up with the summer season.

The official court page on mass.gov lists the full contact info and forms for Dukes County probate court records.

This page shows the courthouse address, phone numbers, and links to forms you need for filing on the island.

Search Dukes County Probate Records

Use MassCourts to search for Dukes County probate court records online. Pick "Probate & Family Court" and choose Dukes as the division. Search by name or case number. Results show party names, docket entries, case type, and status. Document images may be available for cases filed since 2009.

In-person searches mean a trip to Edgartown. You take the Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven. The crossing takes about 45 minutes. Vehicle reservations fill up fast in summer, so plan ahead. Once on the island, the courthouse is on Main Street. Staff can look up cases and make copies for you. Bring your ID. If you can't make the trip, call the court at (508) 627-4703 to ask about your case or about mailing in a request for copies.

Dukes County does not keep regular Virtual Registry hours like some other courts. Virtual help is by appointment only. Call the court to set one up.

Dukes County Probate Fees

Fees are the same at all Probate and Family Courts in Massachusetts. Informal probate is $390. Formal probate costs $405. Voluntary administration is $115. Conservatorship and guardianship of an incapacitated person each cost $255. Guardianship of a minor has no filing fee. You can check the full fee schedule on mass.gov.

Certified copies of decrees cost $20 to $22 each. Plain copies are $1 per page. Attested copies run $2.50 per page. Account filing fees scale with the estate's value, from $0 for estates under $25,000 to $3,500 for estates over $10 million. If you can't afford the fees, file an Affidavit of Indigency. The court reviews your income and decides if you qualify for a waiver.

Dukes County Probate Court Records Guide

Dukes County probate files hold several types of documents. Estate cases include the will, petition for probate, inventory, and accounts. Guardianship files contain the petition, medical evidence, care plan, and court order. Conservatorship cases have financial reports and asset lists. Each type of case builds its own file over time as new documents are filed.

Under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-706, personal representatives must keep records and file accounts with the court. These accounts show how estate assets have been handled. Most probate records are public. Anyone can ask to see them or get copies. Some records involving minors may have restricted parts.

You can get copies of Dukes County probate records at the clerk's office in Edgartown, by mail using the PFC 18 form, or through the virtual registry. Plain copies cost $1 per page and certified copies start at $20.

Island Access for Dukes County Probate

Getting to the Dukes County courthouse means getting to Martha's Vineyard. The main way is the Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole on Cape Cod. The ride takes 45 minutes. In summer, vehicle spots fill up months ahead. Walk-on passengers have an easier time. You can also fly to the island from Boston, New York, or other cities during the season.

Because of the island location, many people handle Dukes County probate court records by mail or through eFiling. The eFileMA system lets you file new cases online for a $22 provider fee plus court costs. Credit cards carry a 2.89% processing charge. For copies, use the PFC 18 form and mail it to the court at P.O. Box 237, Edgartown, MA 02539. Make checks payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The island setting creates unique patterns for estate work too. Many property owners on Martha's Vineyard live somewhere else most of the year. Their estates may need to be probated in Dukes County if they had a home here. Non-resident estates with island property sometimes need ancillary probate in this court.

Note: Vehicle reservations for the Steamship Authority ferry to Martha's Vineyard should be made well in advance during summer months.

Historical Probate Records in Dukes County

Dukes County has probate records going back to 1690. The collection includes record books from 1690 to 1938 and file papers from 1700 to 1870. These records cover over three centuries of island life. You can find them on FamilySearch and through the AmericanAncestors database. The historic records guide on mass.gov lists what has been digitized.

For genealogy work tied to Martha's Vineyard, the probate records are a key resource. Wills, inventories, and estate accounts from the 1700s and 1800s can show family connections, property holdings, and day-to-day life on the island during that time.

Towns in Dukes County

Dukes County has seven towns. All probate filings go through the court in Edgartown. None of the towns have a separate city page on this site. The towns are Aquinnah (Gay Head), Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury (Vineyard Haven), and West Tisbury. Each one files probate cases at the same courthouse on Main Street in Edgartown.

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county. The closest mainland court is in Barnstable County on Cape Cod. Nantucket County is the other island county in Massachusetts.