Orleans District Court

The Orleans District Court sits at 237 Rock Harbor Road, Orleans, MA 02653, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Clerk’s office and probation department: (508) 255-4700
• Probation fax: (508) 240-1150
• Clerk’s email: cmorleansdc@jud.state.ma.us

Free parking is available near the courthouse. The H2O Hyannis to Orleans route of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority serves the courthouse, which sits off Route 6.

The Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office prosecutes criminal cases in the Orleans District Court. The court hears cases from the Outer Cape, from Brewster and Chatham to Provincetown. These small towns have a modest year-round population and a much larger summer population. Attorney Joe Serpa has practiced Massachusetts criminal defense since 1995. He tries to end each Orleans case at the earliest stage, whether the client is a resident or a visitor. He can often attend court dates on behalf of a client who lives off Cape, so that the client does not have to return.

The firm’s page on how criminal cases get dismissed in Massachusetts covers each stage of a case, from the clerk-magistrate hearing through trial.

Communities Served. Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet.

Seasonal and Visitor Cases. In the summer, the Orleans District Court hears many OUI, disorderly conduct, and assault cases, especially from Provincetown. Most of these defendants are visitors. Attorney Serpa can often attend court dates on behalf of a visitor, so that the client does not have to drive back to the Outer Cape.

No complaint issues and no CORI entry results when the clerk-magistrate denies the application at the clerk-magistrate hearing. A driver who receives a citation for a misdemeanor motor vehicle offense, with no felony charge and no arrest, has four days from the date of the violation to ask the clerk-magistrate in writing for a hearing before a criminal complaint issues. G.L. c. 90C, § 3(B)(2).

Domestic Violence and the Year-Round Calendar. Throughout the year, the Orleans District Court hears domestic violence, drug, and theft cases and holds 209A restraining order hearings. In every case, Attorney Serpa examines whether the Commonwealth can prove each element of the charge.

Prepared for Trial From Day One. Attorney Serpa prepares every Orleans case for trial. The firm’s Massachusetts Criminal Defense Results page describes past outcomes. Call 617.936.0201 for a confidential consultation before your Orleans date, wherever you live.

Related Serpa Law Office Resources: Clerk-Magistrate Hearings • OUI Defense • I Received a Show Cause Notice • Criminal Traffic Citation • Domestic Violence Defense • Courts Across Greater Boston Nearby: Barnstable District Court • Falmouth District Court