Find Hampden County Probate Court Records
Hampden County probate court records are managed by the Probate and Family Court in Springfield. This court serves 23 cities and towns in Western Massachusetts, including Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and Westfield. You can search Hampden County probate court records online through MassCourts, in person at the courthouse, or by phone through the virtual registry. The court keeps records for wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes. Register Rosemary Saccomani runs the clerk's office and can help with record requests and case lookups.
Hampden County Overview
Hampden County Probate and Family Court
The Probate and Family Court at 50 State Street in Springfield handles all probate matters for Hampden County. This is a busy court. It serves the largest city in Western Massachusetts and 22 other communities. Under M.G.L. c. 215, § 1, the Probate and Family Court has sole jurisdiction over wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. First Justice William A. Rota presides over the court, and Register Rosemary Saccomani manages all records and the clerk's office.
Hours at the Springfield courthouse are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The court has a number of specialized phone lines for different case types. The Register's Office main line is (413) 748-7760. For probate and equity matters, call (413) 748-7745. The vault and records line is (413) 748-7766. This is helpful if you know which type of record you need and want to talk to the right staff member from the start.
The Hampden Probate and Family Court page on mass.gov has the full list of services and contact details for this court.
This state page shows the courthouse address, hours, and all the ways to reach the Hampden County court for probate record requests.
| Court | Hampden County Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address |
50 State Street P.O. Box 559 Springfield, MA 01102 |
| Phone | (413) 748-7760 (Register's Office) |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| First Justice | Hon. William A. Rota |
| Register | Rosemary Saccomani |
| Vault/Records | (413) 748-7766 |
Hampden County Probate Records Access
The virtual registry gives Hampden County residents a way to reach court staff by phone without going to Springfield. It is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Call 1-646-828-7666 and enter meeting ID 1600424858 to connect. Staff can answer questions about case status, filing steps, and what forms you need. This is a good first step if you are not sure how to search for probate court records in Hampden County.
The Hampden County virtual registry page explains how to use this phone-based service.
The virtual registry is free and works well for quick questions about Hampden County probate filings.
Hampden County also has a satellite office in Chicopee at 17 Springfield Street inside Chicopee City Hall. The satellite is temporarily closed for renovations as of November 2024. When open, it runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Chicopee site does not hold hearings, and cash is not accepted there. The phone for the Chicopee office is (413) 748-7758.
The Chicopee satellite page on mass.gov has the latest status on when this office will reopen.
Check this page for the most current hours and services at the Chicopee location before you plan a trip there.
Search Hampden County Probate Court Records Online
The MassCourts portal is the free online tool for searching Hampden County probate court records. Pick "Probate & Family Court" as the department, then choose Hampden as the division. You can search by name, case number, or case type. Cases from 2009 and later may show full document images. Older cases show the docket but not the papers.
Case numbers for Hampden County use the site code "HD" at the start. A probate case from 2021 might look like HD21P0789EA for an estate case. Name searches work with the last name first, and you need at least two letters. Results show party names, dates, case type, and status. Most probate cases are public, but some guardianship records and cases that involve minors may have limits on what you can see online. Under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 1-302, the Probate and Family Court has subject matter jurisdiction over all estate and guardianship cases in the county.
Estate files at the Hampden County court hold the will, petition, inventory, and periodic accounts. Guardianship records include petitions, medical reports, care plans, and court orders. Most probate records are public and open for review at the clerk's office. You can also request copies by mail or through the virtual registry.
Hampden County Historical Records
Hampden County was created from Hampshire County in 1812. This split created a records issue that still matters today for anyone searching old probate court records. Probate records filed before 1812 for towns now in Hampden County are kept in Northampton at the Hampshire County courthouse. Deeds from before 1812 stayed in Springfield. So if you are looking for a will or estate from, say, 1800 for someone who lived in what is now Springfield, you need to check Hampshire County records in Northampton.
This affects all 23 towns in Hampden County: Agawam, Blandford, Brimfield, Chester, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Granville, Hampden, Holland, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Montgomery, Palmer, Russell, Southwick, Springfield, Tolland, Wales, West Springfield, Westfield, and Wilbraham. For records from 1812 on, the Hampden County court has everything. The index covers 1812 to 1986. Record books go from 1814 to 1929. File papers span 1809 to 1881.
Online, FamilySearch has Hampden County probate records. American Ancestors also holds Hampden probate file papers. The state's historic records guide can help you figure out which collection has the records you need. For very old records, you may need to contact the Supreme Judicial Court Archives in Boston at (617) 557-1087.
Note: Always check both Hampden and Hampshire County records if you are looking for probate filings from before 1812 in this area.
Hampden County Probate Fees
Fees at the Hampden County Probate and Family Court are set by the state. They are the same at every Probate and Family Court in Massachusetts. The full fee schedule is on mass.gov.
Common filing fees for probate cases in Hampden County include:
- Informal probate petition: $375 plus $15 surcharge ($390 total)
- Formal probate petition: $375 plus $15 surcharge plus $15 citation ($405 total)
- Voluntary administration: $100 plus $15 surcharge ($115 total)
- Guardianship of minor: No fee
- Guardianship of incapacitated person: $240 plus $15 surcharge ($255 total)
- Conservatorship: $240 plus $15 surcharge ($255 total)
Certified copies of court records cost $2.50 per page. Plain copies run $1.00 per page. If you can't afford the fees, you can file an Affidavit of Indigency with the court. A judge will review it and decide if the fees should be waived. You can also file through eFileMA, which adds a $22 case fee for new filings. Under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-103, the application for informal probate must include proof that all interested parties have been notified, which may add service costs on top of the filing fee.
Get Copies of Hampden County Probate Records
In person is the quickest way. Go to 50 State Street in Springfield. Staff can pull case files and make copies right there. Cash and credit cards work in person. Call the vault and records line at (413) 748-7766 before you go if you want to make sure the file you need is on site.
By mail, use the PFC 18 form from mass.gov. Fill it out with the docket number, case name, and what copies you need. Mail it to P.O. Box 559, Springfield, MA 01102 with a check or money order for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. No personal checks by mail. Processing takes a few weeks. If you don't know the case number, search on MassCourts first or call the court.
Cities in Hampden County
Hampden County has 23 cities and towns. All of them file probate court records at the Hampden County Probate and Family Court in Springfield.
Other communities in Hampden County include Holyoke, Westfield, West Springfield, Agawam, Ludlow, Palmer, and East Longmeadow. All of these file probate cases at the Hampden County court in Springfield.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Hampden County. If you need pre-1812 probate records for a Hampden County town, check Hampshire County first. For all other cases, make sure the person lived in Hampden County before filing here.