Essex County Divorce Decree Records
Essex County divorce decree records are maintained at the Probate and Family Court in Salem, which serves as the records hub for the entire county. With a satellite office in Lawrence for a limited set of towns, the Essex County court system handles roughly 7,800 domestic relations filings each year. This page explains how to search for a divorce decree in Essex County, how to get a certified copy, and what the filing process looks like under Massachusetts law.
Essex County Overview
Essex County Probate and Family Court
The main courthouse for Essex County divorce decree records is in Salem at 36 Federal Street. This location keeps all records for the entire county, including cases from communities that use the Lawrence satellite office. The Essex Probate and Family Court page on mass.gov lists current hours, contact details, and the satellite office schedule. If you need a certified copy of a divorce decree, you request it from the Salem office regardless of where in Essex County the case was filed.
The Salem courthouse is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The phone number is (978) 744-1020, and there is a TTY line at (978) 745-0350. The court can also be reached by email at Essexcorrespondences@jud.state.ma.us. The Register of Probate manages case files and record requests at the Salem location.
The Lawrence satellite office at the Fenton Judicial Center, 2 Appleton Street, serves a limited set of communities: Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, and North Andover only. All records for those cases are still kept in Salem. If you live in one of these four towns and file at the Lawrence office, your file will still be in Salem for records requests and certified copies.
The official mass.gov page for the Essex County Probate and Family Court provides addresses, phone numbers, and office hours for both Salem and Lawrence locations.
| Court | Essex County Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Salem (Main) | 36 Federal Street, Salem, MA 01970 Phone: (978) 744-1020 TTY: (978) 745-0350 Email: Essexcorrespondences@jud.state.ma.us Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Lawrence (Satellite) | Fenton Judicial Center 2 Appleton Street, Lawrence, MA 01840 Phone: (978) 686-9692 Serves: Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover only |
Important: All Essex County divorce decree records are kept at the Salem courthouse. Even if your case was heard at the Lawrence satellite office, you must contact Salem to get a certified copy.
Searching Essex County Divorce Records Online
The state court lookup system at masscourts.org provides free public access to docket information for Essex County divorce cases. Select Probate and Family Court, then choose Essex County. Search by either spouse's name or by case number. The results show party names, hearing dates, docket entries, and the current status of the case. Full documents and certified copies are not available online. You need to contact the Salem courthouse directly for those.
Several third-party tools can help you search before going to the courthouse. The Essex County court records page on Massachusetts Court Records covers divorce and other case types. The Essex case finder is another search option that can help you confirm a case number. The Essex County probate court records tool focuses specifically on probate and family court filings. None of these replace official court documents, but they can save time when you are not sure a case exists or need to find a case number before visiting Salem.
The Massachusetts court records page for Essex County is a helpful starting point when searching for divorce decree cases by name or case number.
Note: Historic Essex County divorce records dating from 1785 to 1904 are held at the Massachusetts Archives, and a separate probate court divorce index covering 1922 to 1944 is available through the Judicial Archives.
How to Get a Certified Divorce Decree Copy in Essex County
Certified copies of divorce decrees from Essex County cost $20 per copy. The process starts with a completed PFC 18 form, the standard request form used by all Probate and Family Courts in Massachusetts. You can download the PFC 18 for free at courtforms.jud.state.ma.us. Bring the completed form to the Salem courthouse along with valid photo ID and your payment. The court accepts cash, check, and money order. Staff will look up your case and produce the certified copy, often the same day.
For mail requests, send your completed PFC 18 form and a money order or bank check for $20 payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send everything to Essex County Probate and Family Court, 36 Federal Street, Salem, MA 01970. Mail requests typically take 7 to 10 business days from the time the court receives your request. The mass.gov guide on getting a divorce record copy walks through this process in detail and notes what to include.
The Essex County court case finder helps you confirm a case exists and identify the right case number before submitting a formal copy request to the Salem courthouse.
Filing a Divorce Decree Case in Essex County
Essex County divorce filings follow Massachusetts state law under M.G.L. Chapter 208. The two most common filing types are both no-fault. Under § 1A, both spouses file a joint petition along with a written separation agreement. The fee is $200 plus a $15 surcharge in Essex County. After the judge approves the case, the divorce enters a 120-day nisi period. Once that period ends, the divorce decree becomes final and absolute.
Under § 1B, one spouse files a complaint for divorce without a joint agreement. The nisi period for this route is 90 days. As with all Massachusetts counties, the Essex County court applies § 34 of Chapter 208 when deciding how to divide marital assets and income. That statute sets out the factors a judge must weigh, such as the length of the marriage, each spouse's financial contributions, and their needs going forward.
The residency requirement under § 5 applies here as it does across Massachusetts. If the cause of divorce happened outside the state, one spouse must have lived in Massachusetts for at least one year before filing. If the cause occurred within the state, no waiting period is required. Filing is also available electronically through eFileMA for many case types handled at the Essex County Probate and Family Court.
Official court forms are free. Get them at mass.gov's divorce forms page. The full fee schedule is posted at mass.gov.
What Essex County Divorce Decree Records Contain
An Essex County divorce decree is a court order that formally ends a marriage. It names both parties and states the date the divorce became final. The decree sets out how marital property was divided under the standards of M.G.L. c. 208, § 34, covering real estate, bank accounts, retirement funds, and other assets. If alimony was ordered, the amount and duration appear in the decree. Debt allocation is also spelled out when the court addressed it.
When children are involved, the decree includes a parenting plan. That covers legal and physical custody, a visitation schedule, and child support. Essex County processes roughly 7,800 domestic relations filings a year, and many of those involve parenting and support terms that become part of the permanent record. Essex County divorce decrees are public records, and any person can request a copy from the Salem courthouse. Some sealed documents within a case file may not be accessible, but the core decree is available to the general public.
The Essex County probate court records page gives an overview of the types of records held by the court and general information on how to access them.
Legal Help for Essex County Divorce Cases
Several resources exist for people handling divorce cases in Essex County. Greater Boston Legal Services offers free legal help to income-eligible residents. They cover family law cases including divorce, child custody, and support. Call (617) 371-1234 to ask about eligibility. Their reach extends to communities throughout the greater Boston area and north shore, including Essex County. MassLegalHelp at masslegalhelp.org has plain-language guides and forms for people who represent themselves in court.
The Massachusetts Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at (617) 654-0400, or toll-free at (866) 627-7577. A matched attorney will offer an initial consultation at a low cost. The Dial-A-Lawyer program, held the first Wednesday of each month at (617) 338-0610, gives callers a free brief phone consultation with a volunteer attorney. The Massachusetts Legal Reform Fund at masslrf.org helps people who need support with legal costs. The Probate and Family Court website provides information about court services and forms.
If you cannot afford the filing fee, submit an Affidavit of Indigency with your paperwork. The court can waive the fee based on your financial situation. This applies to both the Salem and Lawrence locations in Essex County.
Cities in Essex County
Essex County includes several large cities along the north shore and Merrimack Valley. All divorce decree filings for Essex County go through the Probate and Family Court, with the main records office in Salem and a satellite office in Lawrence for select communities.
Other communities in Essex County include Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, Newburyport, Andover, Methuen, and many north shore towns. All of these file divorce cases through the Essex County Probate and Family Court.
Nearby Counties
Essex County is in the northeastern corner of Massachusetts. If you are not sure which county has jurisdiction over your divorce case, check where you live. You file your case in the county where you or your spouse resides.