Bristol County Busted Mugshots
Bristol County busted mugshots are processed through the sheriff's office and local police departments serving 20 municipalities in southeastern Massachusetts. The county has about 579,000 residents, with the biggest populations in Fall River, New Bedford, and the county seat of Taunton. The Bristol County Sheriff's Office runs the jail and house of correction in North Dartmouth, where county-level bookings and mugshots take place. City police in Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton also keep their own arrest records and booking photos. Searching for busted mugshots in Bristol County means figuring out which agency handled the arrest and sending a written records request to the right office.
Bristol County Overview
Bristol County Sheriff and Busted Mugshots
The Bristol County Sheriff's Office operates from 400 Faunce Corner Road in North Dartmouth. The main phone line is (508) 995-6400. The civil process division can be reached at (508) 992-6631 or by email at civildivisionservice@bcso-ma.us. The jail and house of correction at this address have been in operation since 1888 and can hold about 600 inmates.
When someone is booked at the Bristol County facility, staff take a mugshot and record the charges. These busted mugshots are part of the booking file. For inmate information, call (508) 995-6400 ext. 2535. The visitor information page shows schedules and rules for visiting inmates at the Bristol County jail. If you want to request busted mugshots or other arrest records, the public records request page explains the process. You can submit requests by hand delivery, mail, or email.
The sheriff's office can provide records it holds, but it is prohibited by law from giving out CORI information or ICE detainee details. The records the office does maintain include public contracts, grant awards, inmate census numbers, and booking records for people held at the Bristol County facility.
The Bristol County Sheriff's homepage provides links to inmate info, visitor rules, and public records request forms.
Finding Busted Mugshots in Bristol County
The process for getting busted mugshots in Bristol County depends on who arrested the person. Local police handle most arrests. Fall River Police, New Bedford Police, and Taunton Police each keep their own booking photos. The sheriff's office has records for county-level bookings only. State police handle arrests on highways and at state facilities.
To file a public records request, put it in writing. Include the full name of the person, the date of arrest if you know it, and where the arrest happened. Cite M.G.L. c. 66, Section 10 in your request. The agency must respond within 10 business days. The first two hours of search time are free under Massachusetts law. After that, they can charge up to $25 per hour. Black and white copies cost $0.05 per page. The Bristol County Sheriff's office charges $1.00 per page for copies, plus additional fees for other services.
The 2020 Supreme Judicial Court decision in Boston Globe v. DCJIS clarified that busted mugshots are public records. Agencies in Bristol County cannot refuse to release booking photos by citing the CORI Act alone. There must be a specific exemption. Under M.G.L. c. 4, Section 7(26), the default is that government records are open to the public.
The Bristol County Sheriff's public records page explains how to submit requests for booking records and other documents.
Bristol County Busted Mugshots Fees
The Bristol County Sheriff's Office charges specific fees for records and services. These took effect January 1, 2024. Copies cost $1.00 per page. Duplicate returns are $2.00. If you want records sent by email or fax, that is $5.00. Eviction service runs $400.00, and capias service is $65.00. Recording at the Registry of Deeds costs $105.00. These fees apply to all requests to the Bristol County Sheriff.
State law sets the baseline fees for public records across Massachusetts. Under M.G.L. c. 66, Section 10, the standard is $0.05 per page for black and white copies. Individual agencies like the Bristol County Sheriff can set their own fee schedules for specific services. If you are just looking for busted mugshots and need a simple copy, ask about the exact cost before the request is processed. The office should give you a fee estimate if the total will go over $50.
The visitor information section of the Bristol County Sheriff's site has details on inmate access and facility rules.
Note: Bristol County jail has been in operation since 1888, making it one of the older correctional facilities in Massachusetts.
Courts Handling Bristol County Cases
Bristol County has multiple courts that process criminal matters tied to busted mugshots. The DA's office at 11 Court Street in Taunton prosecutes cases across all 20 municipalities. Call (508) 828-2800 for general info.
| Bristol Superior Court | 11 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780 |
|---|---|
| Taunton District Court | 120 Cohannet Street, Taunton, MA 02780 |
| Fall River District Court | 186 South Main Street, Fall River, MA 02721 |
| New Bedford District Court | 75 North 6th Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 |
| Attleboro District Court | 88 North Main Street, Attleboro, MA 02703 |
Each court has a clerk's office where you can get case documents. Use the Massachusetts Trial Court portal to look up cases by number. Criminal name searches are not available online. For busted mugshots tied to a court case in Bristol County, the arrest report in the case file may reference the booking photo. Court records are generally public, but some documents may be sealed or redacted.
Record Sealing in Bristol County
Some busted mugshots from Bristol County may not be available if the record has been sealed. Under M.G.L. c. 276, Section 100A, misdemeanor convictions can be sealed five years after conviction or release. Felonies require a 10-year wait. Once sealed, the arrest record and mugshot are hidden from standard public records requests and CORI checks.
Non-conviction records in Bristol County now seal automatically under Section 100C, effective 2024. Dismissed cases and acquittals should seal without any action needed. Older non-convictions still require a petition to the court. Expungement is limited to identity theft cases, law enforcement errors, or offenses that are no longer crimes. If granted by a Bristol County court, the records are permanently destroyed.
Other Bristol County Public Records
Bristol County has three registries of deeds. The Taunton Registry covers the northern part of the county. The Fall River Registry handles the eastern communities. The South District Registry covers the southern area. These are property records, not criminal, but they can be useful for public record research alongside busted mugshots from Bristol County.
The Taunton Registry of Deeds provides online search access to land records for the northern part of Bristol County.
Under M.G.L. c. 41, Section 98F, police departments in Bristol County must keep daily logs of all arrests. These logs are public and show the person's name, charges, and when and where the arrest happened. They are separate from CORI and can be requested from any police station in Bristol County without a formal public records request.
Cities in Bristol County
Bristol County has 20 municipalities. The three largest cities each have their own police departments that handle arrests and keep busted mugshots from local bookings.
Other communities in Bristol County include Attleboro, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mansfield, Norton, North Attleborough, Easton, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, and Rehoboth. Each has a local police force that keeps its own arrest records.
Nearby Counties
Bristol County borders several other counties. Arrests near the county line may be handled by a neighboring jurisdiction, so check the location before requesting busted mugshots.