Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 210, § 5C (2026)

Inspection of pleadings, reports, etc.; docket book

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 5C. All petitions for adoption, all reports submitted thereunder and all pleadings, papers or documents filed in connection therewith, docket entries in the permanent docket and record books shall not be available for inspection, unless a judge of probate of the county where such records are kept, for good cause shown, shall otherwise order. Such petitions, reports, pleadings, papers, documents and permanent docket and record books shall be segregated. A separate permanent docket book shall be provided for all such entries. This section shall apply to the index of the court of all such entries, a separate index of which shall be provided.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 9 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1979–2025 · leading case: In re Adoption (&, 102 N.E.3d 1018 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018).

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In re Adoption (&, 102 N.E.3d 1018 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). “119, § 38 ; G. L. c. 210, § 5C. In addition, any impact on the mother's physician-patient relationship with the program is, at best, minimal because her treatment at that program had already ended by the time the department subpoenaed her records.”

New Bedford Stand.-Times Publ'g Co. v. Clerk of the Third Dist. Court, 387 N.E.2d 110 (Mass. 1979). · cites it 2× “94C, § 34 (sealing of records of first offenders under the Controlled Substances *411 Act); G.L.c. 210, § 5C (sealing of adoption records); G.”

Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court, 401 N.E.2d 360 (Mass. 1980). · cites it 2× “182 (1975); G.L.c. 210, § 5C (records of adoption proceedings must be segregated); G.”

Petition of the Dep't of Soc. Servs. to Dispense With Consent to Adoption, 429 N.E.2d 685 (Mass. 1981). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 210, § 5C. See also Petition of the Dep’t of Pub.”

Martin v. Commonwealth, 884 N.E.2d 442 (Mass. 2008). “At the hearing, the judge also noted her concern regarding the applicability of G. L. c. 210, § 5C, concerning the confidentiality of adoption records, to the department documents.”

H.S. Gere & Sons, Inc. v. Frey, 509 N.E.2d 271 (Mass. 1987). “) (records of court in delinquency cases to be withheld from public inspection); G. L. c. 210, § 5C (1984 ed.) (petitions for adoption and related pleadings not available for public inspection); G.”

Adoption of Lisette (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). “119, § 38; G. L. c. 210, § 5C. In addition, any impact on the mother's physician-patient relationship with the program is, at best, minimal because her treatment at that program had already ended by the time the department subpoenaed her records.”

Commonwealth v. Demetrius D., a Juv., 111 N.E.3d 285 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). “119, §§ 51E and 51F ; and G. L. c. 210, §§ 5C and 5D. 9 The department's primary duty is to protect children from abuse or neglect by their "caretaker[s].”

Care & Prot. of Adele (Mass. 2025). “209A, § 8 (records in abuse prevention matters when minor is party); G. L. c. 210, § 5C (adoption petitions and associated court records); G.”

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