New Bedford District Court


The New Bedford District Court serves the Bristol County port city of New Bedford and its neighbors, a dense and diverse urban docket with a substantial immigrant population for whom the immigration stakes of a charge are paramount. The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office prosecutes here, indicted cases move to the Bristol County Superior Court in the same city, and Attorney Joe Serpa has defended across Southeastern Massachusetts for thirty years.

Many cases in this court are resolved long before trial. Knowing how a Massachusetts criminal case can be dismissed is often the first step toward the best result.

Location and Access. The New Bedford District Court, 75 North Sixth St., New Bedford, MA 02740, sits downtown near Route 18 and I-195. The court’s phone is (508) 999-9700.

Communities Served. New Bedford, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and Freetown.

Immigration-Sensitive Defense. With one of the region’s largest immigrant communities, the immigration analysis in this courthouse is the ordinary case: the arraignment itself can matter federally, a CWOF operates as a conviction under federal law, and every disposition is chosen against the federal categories first, with preventing the arraignment at the clerk-magistrate hearing treated as the most valuable outcome.

Drug, Firearms, and the Standard Calendars. The court’s drug and firearms cases are litigated by motion to suppress, and it carries an OUI calendar with the four-day citation rule in play and busy domestic violence and 209A sessions.

Prepared for Trial From Day One. See Massachusetts Criminal Defense Results. Call 617.936.0201 for a confidential consultation before your New Bedford date.

Related Serpa Law Office Resources: Immigration ConsequencesClerk-Magistrate HearingsDrug Crimes DefenseFirearms ChargesOUI DefenseCourts We Serve Nearby: Fall River District CourtWareham District Court

Client Reviews

He's one of the best people I've met. I'm really appreciative of all the help I received. If you have a serious case, he'll work hard to make sure you have the best outcome. I highly recommend him. You will not be disappointed.

A.J

Mr. Serpa was very helpful with my family member ‘s case. He was able to get it dismissed quickly and easily. He is very professional and very good at what he does. I’m so glad he hired him. You will be glad too if you hire him.

Z.M.

Serpa law office was my attorney of choice for 2 seperate cases I had last year. With both situations, Joseph not only treated me great, delivered the results I was hoping for, and was extremely professional and genuine. I would definitely recommend this law office to anyone in need of legal help.

P.C.

Greater Boston Criminal Law Alerts

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Commonwealth v. Arias: The SJC’s New Limit on Delayed Traffic Stops

On April 15, 2026, the Supreme Judicial Court decided Commonwealth v. Arias, SJC-13816, and gave Massachusetts a rule it did not have before: when police stop a car for a traffic violation they observed earlier, the elapsed time between the violation and the stop must be reasonable, and the Commonwealth bears the burden of proving…

Marijuana OUI in Massachusetts as Social Consumption Begins

Massachusetts approved cannabis lounges, and the first ones are preparing to open. On December 11, 2025, the Cannabis Control Commission adopted final social consumption regulations, and they took effect on January 2, 2026. Municipalities are deciding whether to opt in, licensees are building out sites, and at some point this year a driver will leave…

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