Middlesex County Background Check
Middlesex County is the most populous county in Massachusetts, home to over 1.6 million residents. Running a background check here means working through the state CORI system and the local courts that serve this large, dense area. The Sheriff's Office, two Superior Court locations, and twelve District Courts all hold records tied to background checks in Middlesex County. This guide walks through how to access those records, where to go, and what the process looks like from start to finish.
Middlesex County Overview
Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
The Middlesex County Sheriff's Office plays a key role in background check work across this county. The main office sits at 12 Gill Street, Suite 4700, Woburn, MA 01801. You can reach them by phone at (781) 960-2800. The Records Division operates from a separate location at 400 Mystic Avenue, Medford, MA 02155. The Records Access Officer is Megan McLatchey, reachable at (781) 960-2830 for records-related questions.
The Sheriff's Office holds custody records, inmate history, civil process information, and some warrant data for Middlesex County. These records can be part of a broader background check when someone needs to know if a person has spent time in county custody. The office operates Monday through Friday during standard business hours. For public records requests specific to the Sheriff's Office, contact the Records Access Officer directly rather than calling the main line. Response times vary by request type, so reaching out early is a good idea when time matters.
The Middlesex County Sheriff's Office website is shown below. It lists services, inmate lookup tools, and contact details for various divisions within the department.
The site is the best starting point if you need records tied to the county jail or civil process service in Middlesex County.
| Main Office | 12 Gill Street, Suite 4700, Woburn, MA 01801 |
|---|---|
| Main Phone | (781) 960-2800 |
| Records Division | 400 Mystic Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 |
| Records Officer | Megan McLatchey, (781) 960-2830 |
| Website | middlesexsheriff.org |
Middlesex Superior Court Background Check Records
Middlesex County has two Superior Court locations. The Woburn courthouse handles most of the county's serious criminal cases and civil matters over $50,000. The Lowell courthouse serves the northern part of the county. Both locations hold records that are often central to a background check in Middlesex County. Felony arraignments, indictments, trial records, and sentencing information all live in the Superior Court files.
The Middlesex County Superior Court page from mass.gov shows both locations, contact numbers, and filing information. Take a look at the screenshot below for a sense of what that page offers.
This court page is the right place to start if you need certified court records for a Middlesex County background check.
You can search Superior Court case records online through masscourts.org, the Massachusetts Trial Court's public access portal. Free basic case information is available by name or case number. For certified copies, you must contact the clerk's office directly. Under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, public records are available to anyone who requests them, though some portions of criminal records may have restricted access depending on the case type.
| Woburn Location | 200 TradeCenter Drive, Woburn, MA 01801 Phone: (781) 939-2700 |
|---|---|
| Lowell Location | 370 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852 Phone: (978) 656-7800 |
| Online Search | masscourts.org |
Middlesex County District Courts
Middlesex County has twelve District Courts spread across the county. Each one handles misdemeanor cases, civil matters under $50,000, and some lower-level criminal proceedings. District Court records are a frequent part of a Middlesex County background check, since many arraignments and dispositions happen at this level. You can search many of these records through masscourts.org at no cost.
Here are the Middlesex County District Courts and their phone numbers:
- Ayer District Court: (978) 772-2100
- Cambridge District Court: (781) 306-2715
- Concord District Court: (978) 369-0500
- Framingham District Court: (508) 875-7461
- Lowell District Court: (978) 459-4101
- Malden District Court: (781) 322-7500
- Marlborough District Court: (508) 485-3700
- Natick District Court: (508) 620-9110
- Newton District Court: (617) 244-3600
- Somerville District Court: (617) 666-8000
- Waltham District Court: (781) 894-4500
- Woburn District Court: (781) 935-4000
Note: Call the specific court that handled a case to get the most accurate record information for your Middlesex County background check request.
How to Request Background Check Records in Middlesex County
The main tool for a Massachusetts background check is the CORI system. CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. It is run by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). The iCORI portal at icori.chs.state.ma.us is where most people start. You can search for records tied to anyone who has had a Massachusetts arraignment, and this includes cases filed in Middlesex County courts.
If you want to request your own background check record, the process is fairly simple. Visit the individual CORI request page on mass.gov. You will need a valid Massachusetts driver's license or state ID to register online. The fee is $25 per name-based search, and results for personal requests come back right away. If you do not have a Massachusetts ID, you can still request by mail. Download the Personal CORI Request Form from the DCJIS website, have it notarized, include a $25 money order, and mail it to DCJIS at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. Mail requests take two to three weeks to process.
CORI is a name-based search, not fingerprint-supported. That means it only covers Massachusetts records. For a more thorough background check that includes other states, a fingerprint-based SAFIS check is the better option. SAFIS is required for some jobs in Massachusetts involving children, healthcare, or education, but anyone can request one through proper channels.
The main resource page for CORI in Massachusetts is mass.gov/massachusetts-criminal-offender-record-information-cori. This page explains who can access what, how the process works, and where to get more help. The DCJIS website has forms, FAQs, and contact info for the CORI unit at (617) 660-4640.
Under M.G.L. c. 6, § 172, access to CORI is controlled by law. Not everyone can see the same level of detail. The public can access some records, but certain criminal history data is only available to authorized organizations. For a general public background check, the iCORI open access option costs $50 and returns limited information. Most people doing a personal check pay $25 for their own record.
Court Records Access in Middlesex County
Beyond CORI, the Massachusetts Trial Court system lets the public search case records for free. The portal at masscourts.org covers District, Superior, Housing, Probate and Family, and Boston Municipal Courts. You can search by name, case number, or case type. Basic case information comes back at no cost, but some records require you to visit the clerk's office in person or submit a written request to get full documents or certified copies.
Court records tied to a Middlesex County background check can include arraignment records, guilty findings, dismissals, and other dispositions. These show up in the iCORI system as well, but going to the court directly is sometimes necessary if you need the actual case documents. Under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A, records that have been sealed are not available through public channels. If a record comes back sealed, that is a legal protection for the person, and the record cannot be disclosed without a court order.
Sex Offender Registry in Middlesex County
The Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) manages the registry for all of Massachusetts, including Middlesex County. You can reach SORB at (978) 740-6400, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. The SORB website has a public search tool for Level 2 and Level 3 offenders. Level 1 offenders are not publicly listed. Under M.G.L. c. 6, §§ 178C-178P, sex offender registry information is public for higher-risk classifications. This is a separate search from CORI and should be done in addition to a standard background check when needed.
Cities in Middlesex County
Middlesex County covers dozens of cities and towns. The ones listed below are major cities with their own pages on this site. Each one files cases in the Middlesex County courts, and CORI records from those cases flow through the state system. If a city is not linked here, it still falls under Middlesex County courts for background check purposes.
Other cities and towns in Middlesex County include Woburn, Burlington, Watertown, Lexington, Concord, Marlborough, Natick, and many others. Background check records for residents of any of these places run through the same Middlesex County court system.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Middlesex County. Background check records may be in another county if the person you are researching has lived or had court cases in more than one area of Massachusetts.