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Order

Order  Barnstable District Court Order Permitting Destruction of Court Records

Date: 05/06/2026
Organization: Massachusetts Court System
Referenced Sources: Supreme Judicial Court Rule 1:11: Rule relative to the disposal of court papers and records

Order

It is hereby Ordered that, in accordance with the provisions of Supreme Judicial Court Rule 1:11

  1. Case papers and records may be destroyed in the following cases filed during the periods shown, and which have been finally disposed of for 10 years or more and sampled pursuant to Section 6 of the rule, except sealed records which must be retained for 100 years:
    • Criminal, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Civil, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Small Claims, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Summary Process, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Supplementary Process, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Mental Health, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Abuse Restraining Orders, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Civil Motor Vehicle Infractions, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Motor Vehicle Parking Violations, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Littering Violations, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Bicycle Violations, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Pedestrian Violations, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Municipal Dog Control Violations, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Decriminalized Ordinance or By-Law Violations, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
    • Other Decriminalized Regulatory Offenses, filed from April 30, 2013 through April 30, 2016
  2. The following records shall be retained permanently:
    • All cases decided by the Supreme Judicial Court
    • Any records dated or known to have been filed earlier than 1800 and all records from any predecessor of the District Court
    • Dockets and extended records, except for dockets and extended records for minor violation records, subject to sampling provisions set forth in an Order issued by the Supreme Judicial Court pursuant to Section 6
    • All case records, acknowledgements, and agreements filed to establish paternity pursuant to G.L. c. 209C
    • All case records filed in or relating to an adoption filed pursuant to G.L. c. 210, or a name change filed pursuant to G.L. c. 210, § 12
  3. A copy of this Order shall be published and posted, and any responses received as a result of such publications shall be sent by the Clerk Magistrate to the First Justice of this court and the Chief Justice of theDistrict Court Department, at least 30 days before any such papers or records are destroyed.

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