Access Nantucket County Warrant Records

Nantucket County warrant records are handled by two courts and the county sheriff on the island of Nantucket, the smallest county by population in Massachusetts. The entire county is one town, so the court system here is compact. You can search for warrant-related case data through the free MassCourts portal online, or you can contact the sheriff's office and court clerks directly at their offices on the island. Getting to Nantucket requires a ferry from Hyannis or a flight, so online and phone options are especially useful for anyone searching from the mainland. This page covers all the ways to look up Nantucket County warrant records.

Nantucket County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff James A. Perelman leads the Nantucket County Sheriff's Office at 20 South Water Street in Nantucket. The mailing address is PO Box 419, Nantucket, MA 02554. The phone number is (508) 228-7263. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Nantucket County Sheriff's Department page on Mass.gov has basic contact details and information about the office. Deputies serve warrants on the island and coordinate with the Nantucket Police Department. Because the county is a single island, law enforcement resources are limited compared to mainland counties. But the small geography also means it is harder for someone with a warrant to stay hidden for long.

The Mass.gov page for the Nantucket County Sheriff's Department is shown above. Under M.G.L. Chapter 276, warrants in Massachusetts do not have an expiration date. A warrant issued by a Nantucket court stays active until the person appears before a judge or the court recalls it. This applies even if the person leaves the island and goes to the mainland or out of state.

Search Nantucket Warrant Records Online

Use MassCourts to search Nantucket County warrant records for free. This state system covers both the Nantucket Superior Court and the Nantucket District Court. Enter a name or case number to pull up docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. If a bench warrant was issued in a case, you will often see a docket entry that says so.

The system runs 24 hours a day. It does not list all active warrants or show the full text of a warrant. Criminal name searches may have restrictions. But for a free starting point, MassCourts is the best option. The Court Docket Search Guide on Mass.gov walks you through how to use the system step by step, including what the different fields and codes mean in your results.

The iCORI system adds another layer. It costs $25 per search. The results come from the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services and include criminal history data from across the state. If someone has an open case in Nantucket County, iCORI can flag it. This is helpful when you want more detail than what MassCourts shows.

Note: For the most current status of a specific warrant, calling the court clerk directly is still the fastest method.

Nantucket County Courts and Warrants

Two courts serve Nantucket County. Both are at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket. The Superior Court handles serious felonies. The District Court takes care of misdemeanors, lower felonies, arraignments, and most of the day-to-day criminal work on the island.

The Nantucket Superior Court page on Mass.gov has hours and contact details for that court.

The Superior Court page shown above lists the court's location and services. Because Nantucket is a small county, the Superior Court does not sit as often as it does in larger counties. Some matters are handled by visiting judges.

The Nantucket District Court page on Mass.gov provides more details about the District Court, which handles the bulk of criminal cases on the island.

The District Court page is shown above. Both courts share a building. The clerk's office can look up cases and tell you whether a warrant is still active. Bench warrants get issued when someone misses a court date. Arrest warrants come from criminal complaints with probable cause. Both stay active until the court resolves them under Massachusetts law.

Cape and Islands DA and Nantucket Warrants

The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office prosecutes all criminal cases in Nantucket County. DA Robert Galibois leads the office. The Nantucket branch is at 16 Broad Street, the same building as the courts. This DA's office also covers Barnstable and Dukes counties.

The Cape and Islands DA website is shown above. When police on Nantucket want an arrest warrant, they work with a prosecutor who reviews the facts and files a complaint. A judge then decides if probable cause exists under M.G.L. c. 276. For felonies that go to Superior Court, the DA may take the case to a grand jury. An indictment results in an arrest warrant. The DA's office also handles victim and witness services for cases with active warrants.

Public Access to Nantucket Warrant Data

The Massachusetts Public Records Law gives the public broad access to government records. Court docket information is generally available through MassCourts. But active warrant specifics may be limited for law enforcement purposes. The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security sets the statewide rules for criminal justice data access.

If you need a certified copy of a court document from a Nantucket County case, visit the clerk's office at 16 Broad Street. Bring your ID and the case number. The Trial Court Law Libraries can help you understand what records are available and how to request them. Because Nantucket is an island, phone and mail requests are common alternatives to in-person visits for people searching from the mainland.

Communities in Nantucket County

Nantucket County is unique in Massachusetts. The entire county is one town: Nantucket. There are no other municipalities. The town and county governments overlap. No communities in Nantucket County meet the population threshold for a separate page on this site.

All warrant cases on the island go through the two courts at 16 Broad Street. The year-round population is small, but it grows significantly during the summer tourist season, which can affect court schedules and law enforcement workload.

Nearby Counties

Nantucket County is an island about 30 miles south of Cape Cod. The Steamship Authority runs ferry service from Hyannis in Barnstable County. Air service is also available year-round.