Find Franklin County Phone Numbers
The Franklin County phone directory lists contacts for public offices across 26 towns in the upper Connecticut River Valley. This is the most rural county in Massachusetts. Greenfield is the county seat and became a city in 2003. Franklin County government was abolished in 1997, making it the first county in the state to lose its local government. The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) took over most of the old county duties. Courts, the registry of deeds, and the sheriff's office still serve the region under state control. You can find phone numbers for all of these offices on this page, along with details on how to request public records.
Franklin County Overview
Franklin County Registry of Deeds
The Franklin County Registry of Deeds is at 43 Hope Street in Greenfield. The Register is Scott A. Cote. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM. Call (413) 772-0239 to reach the registry. The fax number is (413) 774-7150. You can also email the office at franklinrod@sec.state.ma.us for general questions or scott.cote@sec.state.ma.us to reach the Register directly.
This single registry handles property records for all 26 towns in the county. Records go back to 1825 in some cases, and certain collections date to 1787. You can search land records for free at MassLandRecords.com by selecting Franklin County. The system lets you search by name, book and page, document number, or property address. Document images are available online for viewing and printing at no cost. For certified copies, you need to visit the office or send a request by mail with a check payable to "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The registry offers a free Consumer Notification Service. This sends email alerts when a document gets recorded using your name. It is meant to help catch title fraud early. Sign up through the Franklin County Registry website. Keep in mind that the system searches by name, not by address. So you might get alerts for other people with the same name.
| Office | Franklin County Registry of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Register | Scott A. Cote |
| Address |
43 Hope Street, P.O. Box 1495 Greenfield, MA 01302 |
| Phone | (413) 772-0239 |
| Fax | (413) 774-7150 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:15 PM |
| Website | franklindeeds.com |
Recording fees follow the state schedule. Deeds cost $155. Mortgages cost $205. A homestead declaration is $35. Certified copies run $1 per page. Original documents are required for in-person recording. No photocopies are accepted.
Note: Documents sent by mail are entered by close of business on the day they arrive; include your phone number on the check in case the registry needs to reach you.
Franklin County Court Phone Numbers
Most of Franklin County's courts operate out of the Franklin County Justice Center at 43 Hope Street in Greenfield. This modern facility opened in 2017 and houses five court departments under one roof. The central phone number is (413) 775-7400. The building kept the historic 1932 facade during the renovation.
The Franklin County Superior Court handles felony criminal cases and large civil disputes. The Clerk of Courts is Benjamin D. Simanski. Call (413) 775-7400 for the clerk's office. Hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays. For warrant verification, the number is (413) 774-5535. The Chief Probation Officer is Sheila Moriarty, reachable at (413) 773-7249.
The Franklin Probate and Family Court is also at 43 Hope Street. The First Justice is Hon. Kathleen Sandman. The Register is John F. Merrigan. Phone: (413) 774-7011. This court handles wills, estates, trusts, divorce, custody, and adoption for all 26 towns. Certified copies cost $25 each. eFiling and virtual registry assistance are both available. Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday.
| Superior Court | 43 Hope Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 | (413) 775-7400 |
|---|---|
| Probate & Family Court | 43 Hope Street, Greenfield, MA 01302 | (413) 774-7011 |
| Greenfield District Court | 43 Hope Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 | (413) 774-5533 |
| Orange District Court | 1 Court Square, Orange, MA 01364 | (978) 544-8277 |
| Juvenile Court | 43 Hope Street, Greenfield, MA 01302 | (413) 775-0014 |
The Greenfield District Court serves 19 of the 26 towns in the county, including Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague, Shelburne, Sunderland, and Northfield. The Clerk-Magistrate is Kenneth H. Chaffee. This court has Adult Drug Court and Mental Health Court specialty sessions. The Orange District Court at 1 Court Square in Orange covers the eastern part of the county. Call (978) 544-8277 to reach that office.
Note: Jury service inquiries for any Franklin County court go to the statewide number at 1-800-THE-JURY (1-800-843-5879).
Search Franklin County Phone Listings
Finding the right phone number in Franklin County depends on what type of record you need. Property records go through the Registry of Deeds. Court records are split between the Superior Court, Probate Court, and the two district courts. The sheriff handles jail records. The Northwestern District Attorney covers criminal prosecution for both Franklin and Hampshire counties.
Online tools make some of this easier. The MassLandRecords website gives free access to Franklin County property records around the clock. Pick Franklin County from the list, then search by name, date, or document type. You can view deeds, mortgages, liens, discharges, easements, foreclosures, and homestead declarations. Court cases are searchable at MassCourts by name or case number.
For public records requests in Franklin County, the law is on your side. Under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10, any person can request records from any public office. You do not need to be a resident. You do not need to show ID. The office must respond within 10 business days. Standard copy fees are $0.05 per page. Electronic records are free if already in digital form. The first two hours of search time are free for municipalities with over 20,000 people. After that, the cap is $25 per hour.
- Registry of Deeds: (413) 772-0239
- Superior Court: (413) 775-7400
- Probate Court: (413) 774-7011
- Greenfield District Court: (413) 774-5533
- Sheriff's Office: (413) 774-4014
- District Attorney (Franklin): (413) 774-3186
Franklin County Public Records
Franklin County government was abolished on July 1, 1997, under Chapter 151 of the Acts of 1996. It was the first county in Massachusetts to go through this process. The former county commissioners were reconstituted as part of the Franklin Council of Governments Committee. The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) took over the old county duties, serving as a regional membership organization for all 26 towns. The FRCOG office is at 12 Olive Street, Suite 2, in Greenfield. Call (413) 774-3167. The Executive Director is Linda Dunlavy.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is at 160 Elm Street in Greenfield. Sheriff Christopher Donelan leads the office. Phone: (413) 774-4014. The Public Records Access Officer is Captain Jason Yuryan, reachable at extension 2191 or by email at records@fcso-ma.us. The sheriff runs the jail and house of correction, which holds inmates awaiting trial or serving sentences of 2.5 years or less. The civil process division is at a separate address: 101 Munson Street in Greenfield, phone (413) 774-3235. The sheriff's office also runs a TRIAD program for senior services and a regional dog shelter at 10 Sandy Lane in Turners Falls.
The Northwestern District Attorney's Office covers both Franklin and Hampshire counties. The District Attorney is David E. Sullivan. The Franklin County office is at 56 Bank Row in Greenfield at (413) 774-3186. A consumer protection line is available at (413) 774-5102. Victim and witness assistance runs through the Orange office at (978) 544-7376. The Public Records Access Officer is Cynthia Payne, Assistant District Attorney, at (413) 437-5815.
Note: The sheriff's office is a jail and house of correction, not a police department; for police reports, contact the local town police where the incident happened.
Towns in Franklin County
Franklin County has 26 towns and no large cities. None of the municipalities meet the population threshold for a dedicated phone directory page on this site. Greenfield is the largest community with about 17,400 residents. It became a city in 2003 but is still small by state standards.
Other notable towns include Montague (which includes the village of Turners Falls), Orange, Deerfield, Sunderland, Northfield, and Bernardston. Each town has its own clerk's office for local records and vital statistics. All property records for the county go through the Franklin County Registry of Deeds in Greenfield. Court matters for the western half of the county run through the Greenfield courts, while the Orange District Court covers the eastern towns.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County borders three other Massachusetts counties and shares its northern boundary with Vermont. If you are looking for records in a neighboring county, the courts and registries will be different.