The Trial Court has established a help line that the public can call to ask general questions about their civil and criminal cases and to help them navigate the court system while courts remain closed to the public except for emergency matters.
According to a Supreme Judicial Court press release, the help line will be staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached by calling 833-91COURT.
For emergency matters, court users are advised to first call their local court clerk’s or register’s offices. Emergency matters include: emergency protection and harassment prevention orders, arraignments of new arrests, bail reviews, dangerousness hearings, mental health commitment orders, and care and protection orders.
In Greenfield, the office numbers are: District Court, 413-774-5533; Housing Court, 413-748-7838; Juvenile Court, 413-775-0014; Probate and Family Court, 413-775-7464; and Superior Court, 413-775-7400. In Orange, the office numbers are: District Court, 978-544-8277, and Juvenile Court, 978-544-5125.
If a member of the public is unable to reach a clerk’s office or register’s office, help line staff will serve as a backup resource, and will be able to look up case information and assist callers, the release states.
The following Trial Court departments will have representatives on the help line: District Court, Boston Municipal Court, Superior Court, Probate and Family Court, Juvenile Court, Housing Court and Land Court. The Massachusetts Probation Service will also have representatives available on the help line.