Plymouth County Probate Court Records

Plymouth County probate court records are held at the Probate and Family Court, which has two locations that serve 27 towns across the South Shore. The main court in Plymouth and the Brockton satellite both give the public ways to look up wills, estate filings, guardianship cases, and trust records. You can search Plymouth County probate court records in person, by mail, or through the state's online case lookup tool. The Register of Probate keeps all case files and can help you find what you need, from old estate records to new guardianship orders. Plymouth County has some of the oldest probate records in the state, with files that go back to 1633.

Plymouth County Probate and Family Court

The Probate and Family Court is the sole place to file probate cases in Plymouth County. All new filings must go to the main office in Plymouth. This is true even if you live in Brockton or one of the north end towns. The court handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes. Register Matthew J. McDonough runs the clerk side of the court and keeps all records.

Plymouth County has two court sites. The main office at 52 Obery Street in Plymouth is where all papers must be filed. You can also use the Brockton satellite at 215 Main Street, Suite 220, for hearings and to view files. Both sites are open on weekdays from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. If you need to talk to staff but can't get to the courthouse, the virtual registry is open by phone on weekdays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and again from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Call 1-646-828-7666 and use meeting ID 1606727074 to reach them. Under M.G.L. c. 215, § 1, the Probate and Family Court has sole jurisdiction over these types of cases in each county.

The Plymouth Probate and Family Court page on mass.gov shows the full list of services at this court location.

This page lists the court hours, phone numbers, and a map of the Plymouth location where all new probate filings are submitted.

Brockton Satellite Court Location

The Brockton Probate and Family Court is a satellite of the Plymouth County court. It serves residents in the north end of the county, so they don't have to drive all the way to Plymouth. You can attend hearings here and look at case files. But you can't file new papers at this site. All filings go to Plymouth.

The Brockton office provides the same look up access to Plymouth County probate court records as the main courthouse. Staff at this site can pull case files for you and make copies. The phone number for Brockton is (508) 897-5400, ext. 2964. Hours are the same as Plymouth: weekdays, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Brockton location page on mass.gov has details on this satellite office and what services are offered there.

The Brockton satellite gives residents in cities like Brockton, Bridgewater, and Whitman a closer place to access probate records.

How to Search Plymouth County Probate Records

There are a few ways to search probate court records in Plymouth County. The fastest way for basic case info is the MassCourts online portal. This free tool lets you look up cases by name, case number, or case type. It covers all Probate and Family Court divisions, so you just pick Plymouth from the list. Cases filed from 2009 on may have document images you can view. Older cases show docket entries but not the full papers.

For a name search on MassCourts, type the last name first. Use at least two letters. The first name needs just one letter. Case numbers for Plymouth County probate cases start with "PL" as the site code. So a 2020 estate case might look like PL20P0456EA. The system shows party names, filing dates, case type, and docket entries. Some probate cases have limits on what shows up due to privacy rules, but most estate and trust filings are fully visible.

In-person searches give you the most access. Go to the Plymouth courthouse at 52 Obery Street or the Brockton satellite at 215 Main Street. Staff can pull files and make copies. Bring your ID. You can also request copies by mail using the PFC 18 form from mass.gov. Mail a check or money order made out to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with the form.

Note: Personal checks are not accepted by mail. Use a money order, attorney's check, or bank certified check.

Probate Filing Fees in Plymouth County

Plymouth County uses the same statewide fee schedule as all other Probate and Family Courts in Massachusetts. The fees are set by the Trial Court and do not change from county to county. An informal probate petition costs $375 plus a $15 surcharge, for a total of $390. Formal probate runs the same base fee but adds a $15 citation charge, making it $405. Voluntary administration is $115 total.

Certified copies are a common request. A certified copy of a will or court order costs $2.50 per page. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. If you need an exemplified copy for use in another state, that runs $50 plus $1 per page after the first. Guardianship of a minor has no filing fee. Guardianship of an incapacitated person costs $255 total. Account filing fees depend on the value of the estate and can range from $0 for small estates to $3,500 for those over $10 million.

Plymouth County Probate Court Records Online

Plymouth County has its own probate website at plymouthcountyprobate.com. This site is run by the Register of Probate and has local info that the state site does not cover in as much detail. You can find staff contact info, local procedures, and links to forms. It is a good first stop if you want to file a case or check on local rules.

The Plymouth County Probate website gives residents quick access to court forms and local contact numbers.

This local website is a helpful resource for Plymouth County residents who need to file or look up probate court records without going through the state portal.

You can also file some probate cases online through eFileMA. The eFiling system accepts informal and formal probate petitions, voluntary administration statements, and guardianship filings. There is a $22 one-time case fee for eFiling. Credit card payments add a 2.89% processing charge, while eCheck payments cost $0.25 per use. Under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-102, informal probate is handled by the Register and does not need a hearing, which makes eFiling a smooth process for simple cases.

Historical Probate Records in Plymouth County

Plymouth County has some of the oldest court records in the United States. Probate records here date back to 1633, which predates the formation of Massachusetts as a state. The Plymouth Colony kept wills, inventories, and estate records from its earliest days. These records cover the Pilgrim era and include documents tied to some of the first English settlers in North America. Volume 1 of the Colony Records spans 1633 to 1669.

Several published works cover these early records. "Records of the Colony of New Plymouth" is a 12-volume set put out between 1855 and 1861. Ruth Ann Wilder Sherman wrote the "Plymouth Colony Probate Guide," which helps researchers find specific files from that period. Susan E. Roser's "Mayflower Deeds and Probates" covers records tied to Mayflower passengers and their families. These books are in many genealogy libraries and some are on FamilySearch.

Online, you can search Plymouth County probate records through the state's historic records guide on mass.gov. FamilySearch has a large collection of Plymouth County probate records covering 1633 to 1967. The index alone spans hundreds of years. Record books, file papers, and estate inventories are all part of this collection. American Ancestors, run by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, also has Plymouth County probate file papers. Access to that site requires a free guest account.

Note: Pre-1633 records for the Plymouth Colony area may be found in the Supreme Judicial Court Archives in Boston at (617) 557-1087.

Plymouth County Probate Court Coverage

The court serves 27 towns. All of them file probate cases at the Plymouth courthouse. Residents in the north end of the county can access records at the Brockton satellite, but must file all new papers in Plymouth. Under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 1-304, venue for probate matters is in the county where the person lived at the time of death or incapacity.

The 27 towns in Plymouth County are: Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater, and Whitman. Each of these towns falls under the Plymouth County Probate and Family Court for all estate, trust, guardianship, and conservatorship matters.

How to Get Copies of Plymouth County Records

You can get copies of Plymouth County probate court records three ways. In person at the courthouse is the fastest. Go to 52 Obery Street in Plymouth and ask at the clerk's window. Staff can look up your case, pull the file, and make copies while you wait. Certified copies cost $2.50 per page. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Cash and credit cards are accepted in person.

By mail, fill out the PFC 18 form and send it to P.O. Box 3640, Plymouth, MA 02361. Include a check or money order made out to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The form asks for the docket number, case name, type of case, and what documents you want. If you don't know the docket number, use MassCourts to look it up first. Processing by mail takes a few weeks depending on how busy the court is.

The virtual registry is a third option. Call 1-646-828-7666 with meeting ID 1606727074 during open hours to speak with staff. They can help you figure out what you need and how to get it. This is handy if you are not sure which form to use or what your case number is.

Cities in Plymouth County

Plymouth County has 27 towns and cities. All of them file probate court records at the Plymouth County Probate and Family Court.

Other communities in Plymouth County include Hingham, Marshfield, Scituate, Duxbury, Rockland, Whitman, Hanover, and Wareham. All of these file probate cases at the Plymouth County court.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Plymouth County. If you are not sure which county handles your case, check the address of the person whose estate or guardianship is at issue. Probate cases must be filed in the right county.