Request administrative records

Administrative records are records related to the management or administration of the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, or the Trial Court, including the Trial  Court departments, the Massachusetts Probation Service, the Office of Jury Commissioner, or the office of any court clerk. They are different from court records, which are records filed in the clerks' offices that are connected to a case or proceeding and which are generally available to the public.

The Massachusetts Public Records law (G.L. c. 66, § 10) does not apply to records of the Massachusetts judicial branch.  Nonetheless, the courts try to make available as much information as possible in response to requests for administrative records.  Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.  The exceptions to the Public Records law, which are set forth in G.L. c. 4, § 7, Twenty-sixth, are part of that consideration.  The absence of a relevant exception to the Public Records law, however, is not determinative as to whether a particular court administrative record will be made available.

The Executive Director of the Supreme Judicial Court, the Court Administrator of the Appeals Court, or the Court Administrator of the Trial Court, as applicable, makes the final determination whether to release court administrative records, and the determination is final.