Nantucket County Divorce Decree Lookup
Nantucket County divorce decree records are held at the Probate and Family Court at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The court maintains all divorce filings and final judgments for the county's island community. If you are searching for a Nantucket County divorce decree, need a certified copy, or want to understand the process for filing a new case, this guide covers the court's contact information, record request procedures, and the relevant Massachusetts laws that apply.
Nantucket County Overview
Nantucket Probate and Family Court
The Nantucket Probate and Family Court handles all divorce filings for the county. It is located at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket and shares the building with the Nantucket District Court. This compact setup means nearly all local court business, including divorce cases, takes place in one location. The court is the smallest in Massachusetts by county population, serving a year-round community of around 10,000 residents. Summer population swells significantly, but the year-round population drives most of the caseload.
The main phone number is (508) 228-2669 and the alternate line is (508) 228-6852. Call ahead before visiting to confirm record availability, especially for older cases that may not be fully indexed. The Register of Probate office handles all records requests. The Massachusetts Probate and Family Court page provides statewide information on court services and connects to local court details.
The Massachusetts courts page gives an overview of Nantucket County's court system and how to access divorce decree records through the local probate office.
Reviewing this resource before your visit helps you confirm what to bring and what to expect when requesting Nantucket County divorce records.
| Court | Nantucket Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 16 Broad Street, P.O. Box 1116 Nantucket, MA 02554 |
| Phone | (508) 228-2669 |
| Alternate Phone | (508) 228-6852 |
| Co-Located Courts | Nantucket District Court (same building) |
Reaching the Nantucket County Courthouse
Nantucket County sits entirely on Nantucket Island, Tuckernuck Island, and Muskeget Island. Getting to the courthouse requires a ferry or small plane from the mainland. The Steamship Authority runs ferry service year-round from Hyannis in Barnstable County. Other ferry operators run seasonal service from the Cape. The courthouse at 16 Broad Street is in the center of Nantucket town, within walking distance of the main ferry landing.
Because of the island location, planning your visit carefully pays off. Call (508) 228-2669 before you travel to confirm the records you need are available and that the court can process your request on the same day. If you are looking for older records, not everything may be fully indexed or immediately accessible. The court staff can tell you over the phone what to expect before you make the trip.
The official Massachusetts guide at mass.gov explains what you need to request a divorce record and can answer basic questions before you contact the court directly.
This state guide applies to all Massachusetts counties including Nantucket and covers what forms and information are needed when requesting a divorce decree copy.
How to Search Nantucket Divorce Decree Records
The free online case portal at masscourts.org is the best place to start when searching for a Nantucket County divorce decree. The system covers the Nantucket Probate and Family Court. You can look up cases by name or case number and see docket entries and case status. This gives you enough information to confirm a case was filed and find the docket number. Keep in mind that older Nantucket records may not be fully digitized, so some older cases may not appear in the online system.
For certified copies of the divorce decree, in-person or mail requests to the Broad Street courthouse are required. Bring the full names of both spouses and the approximate year of the divorce. Complete PFC Form 18 to submit a formal records request. Certified copies cost $20 per copy. Payment must be by money order or bank check. If you are mailing the request, send it to 16 Broad Street, P.O. Box 1116, Nantucket, MA 02554 and include your contact information and payment.
Note: Calling ahead to (508) 228-2669 before a visit to the Nantucket courthouse is especially useful for older case requests, as some records may require extra lead time to locate.
Nantucket Divorce Records and the State System
Nantucket County operates within the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court system, which is overseen statewide by the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court department. The rules, forms, and procedures that apply in Nantucket are the same ones used in every other county in the state. What differs is the scale and the island setting. Nantucket has one of the smallest court dockets in Massachusetts. Cases tend to move through the system with less backlog than in larger counties.
The state's probate court overview gives context for how the Nantucket court fits within the broader system for handling divorce decrees.
Understanding the state framework helps Nantucket residents know what to expect when navigating the divorce process at the local court level.
The Nantucket Historical Association Research Library on the island holds supplementary historical materials that may be relevant for genealogical research involving older divorce records. This is not a court archive, but it can point researchers toward historical documents that predate the current court filing system. For all current and recent divorce records, the 16 Broad Street courthouse is the authoritative source.
Nantucket County Divorce Decree Fees
Nantucket County uses the same statewide fee schedule as all Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts. A joint petition under M.G.L. c. 208, § 1A costs $215 plus a $15 surcharge. A contested complaint under § 1B costs $280 plus the surcharge. Certified copies of divorce decrees are $20 per copy. The full fee schedule is at mass.gov.
People with low income can file an Affidavit of Indigency to request a fee waiver. The court reviews the filing and may waive some or all costs based on your financial situation. This option is available at the Nantucket court just as it is at any other Probate and Family Court in the state.
Divorce Filing Process for Nantucket Residents
Massachusetts divorce law under M.G.L. Chapter 208 applies fully to Nantucket County cases. You file at the Broad Street courthouse if you or your spouse lives in Nantucket County. The residency rule in § 5 requires one spouse to have lived in Massachusetts for one year before filing if the grounds occurred out of state. If the grounds arose in Massachusetts, there is no minimum time before you can file.
Most Nantucket County divorces proceed under the no-fault rules. A § 1A joint petition works when both spouses agree on all terms. They file together with a signed separation agreement and attend a brief court hearing. After the hearing, a 120-day nisi period starts. The divorce only becomes final after those 120 days. A § 1B contested case, where one spouse files alone, has a 90-day wait after the court's ruling. When dividing marital assets in a contested case, the court applies the factors listed in § 34.
Nisi Period: Nantucket divorces are not final at the time of the hearing. The 1A path requires 120 days and the 1B path requires 90 days after the court's judgment before the divorce becomes absolute.
Official forms are free and available at mass.gov and through eFileMA for qualifying case types. Because Nantucket is a small island court, downloading forms online before your visit saves time and reduces the number of trips needed.
Legal Resources for Nantucket County Divorce Cases
Community Legal Aid serves lower-income residents across Massachusetts with free civil legal help. For family law matters including divorce in Nantucket County, their western Massachusetts line is (413) 584-4034. MassLegalHelp.org has step-by-step guides on the divorce process, form instructions, and legal information written for people who handle their own cases without an attorney.
The Massachusetts Bar Association's lawyer referral service can connect you with a family law attorney. Call (617) 654-0400 or toll-free (866) 627-7577. Given Nantucket's island location, many attorneys handle cases by phone or video conference for initial consultations. Free court forms are always available at mass.gov. The Nantucket Historical Association Research Library may also help if you are researching older records for genealogical or legal purposes. Their collection covers island history and some county records that go back well before the current court system.
Towns in Nantucket County
Nantucket County consists of Nantucket Island, Tuckernuck Island, and Muskeget Island. The county functions as a single town and county entity. It is the smallest county by population in Massachusetts. No community in Nantucket County meets the population threshold required for a dedicated city page on this site. All residents file divorce cases at the Probate and Family Court at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket town.
Nearby Counties
Barnstable County and Dukes County are the counties closest to Nantucket, both reachable by ferry. If you are a mainland resident unsure about which county handles your case, check the address where you or your spouse lives. Nantucket County covers only the island communities listed above.