Peabody City, Essex County, Massachusetts Crime Index
Located in the North Shore area of Massachusetts, Peabody is a city in Essex County. In 2019, the city recorded a total of 558 crimes, an estimated crime rate of 1,051 incidents per 100,000 residents. The city had 123 violent crimes which included
- 21 rapes
- 8 robberies, and
- 94 aggravated assault incidents
Law enforcement agencies in Peabody reported a total of 435 property crimes in 2019. There were 55 burglaries, 350 cases of larceny, 30 motor vehicle thefts, 2 arson incidents, and 53 driving under the influence cases.
Peabody District Court
The Peabody District Court is a trial court of limited jurisdiction over most criminal cases. Its jurisdiction extends to all misdemeanors, as well as offenses against town and city by-laws and ordinances. The Court also handles felonies that are punishable by a sentence of no more than 5 years of imprisonment. However, the maximum sentence that the Court can impose is two and a half years in the house of corrections.
The Peabody District Court also has initial jurisdiction over every criminal charge, including offenses that are outside its original jurisdiction. The Court has the power to hold probable cause hearings to determine whether to transfer a defendant over to the Essex Superior Court.
The Peabody District Court carries out most of its activities remotely in line with global health protocols due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Parties may participate in hearings by email, telephone, videoconference, or a combination of all three. Court users may also listen to the Court’s events in real-time via a Public Access Telephone Line. Regardless, the courthouse remains open to people who need to
- Meet with a probation officer or staff person
- Be in-person at the court hearings
- Carry out any business in-person with a clerk's, recorder's or register's office
- Conduct business at other offices that are located in the courthouse and is open to the public
Additionally, the Peabody District Courthouse provides a drop-box in a safe and accessible location at the courthouse entrance so attorneys and litigants can deliver documents or pleadings for filing. To discover whether to appear at court in-person or to opt for a virtual appearing at a scheduled in-person court hearing, parties may contact the Court at
Peabody District Court
1 Lowell Street,
Peabody, MA 01960
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: (978) 532-3100
Email: cmpeabodydc@jud.state.ma.us
Fax: Clerk’s Office (978) 531-8524, Probation Department (978) 532-0357
In 2020, 1,170 criminal defendants appeared before the Peabody District Court which is significantly lower than the 1,410 criminal defendants that were arraigned before the Court in 2019.
Northeast Housing Court - Salem Session
The Northeast Housing Court - Salem Session handles a variety of cases concerning housing in Peabody. This includes evictions, housing discrimination, housing code violations, lockouts, and receiverships. The Court also has jurisdiction over landlord-tenant issues, as well as small claims and criminal complaints which include violations of the state’s building, sanitary, and fire prevention codes that govern residential housing.
The Northeast Housing Court conducts its sessions remotely although it permits attorneys, parties to a case, witnesses, court personnel, and other essential persons into the courthouse. Court users may use the eFiling platform for filing documents or the Northeast Housing Court's virtual front counter to receive assistance from the Clerk's Office. The Northeast Housing Specialist Department also provides a front counter to offer virtual assistance. Interested parties may contact the Court at
Northeast Housing Court - Salem Session
56 Federal Street,
Salem, MA 01970
Telephone: (978) 825-4920
Email: NortheastHousingCourt@jud.state.ma.us
The Northeast Housing Court in 2020 received 56 criminal case entries, a slight increase from the 52 criminal case entries recorded in 2019.
Essex County Juvenile Court-Salem
The Essex County Juvenile Court-Salem is the court department that handles various types of cases that pertain to the care and treatment of juveniles in Peabody. This includes matters such as:
- Adult contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Delinquency
- Youthful offender
- Adoption
- Guardianship
- Care and protection
- Children requiring assistance
- Termination of parental rights proceedings
For any inquiries about the Court's remote options and services, interested parties may contact the Court at
Salem Juvenile Court,
56 Federal Street,
Salem, MA 01970
Telephone: Clerk's Office (978) 745-9660, Probation Department (978) 745-9601
Email: essex-jccallctr@jud.state.ma.us
The Essex County Juvenile Court dealt with 3,473 cases in 2020, including 52 adoption cases, 945 delinquency matters, and 39 youthful offender cases.
Massachusetts Land Court
The Land Court specializes in conflicts involving real property. It has jurisdiction over the redemption and foreclosure of real estate tax liens, as well as all matters relating to the registration of title to real property. The Court only conducts bench trials and generally sits in Boston. The Land Court may carry out proceedings in other cities such as Peabody if the circumstances warrant or upon the request of an attorney.
Court users may access the Court's remote options and services via the Recorder’s Office virtual front counter. The counter opens only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Interested parties may visit the court at
Land Court,
3 Pemberton Square,
Boston, MA 02108
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
In 2020, the Massachusetts Land Court received 7,325 new case entries and adjudicated an overall number of 26,037 cases including those carried over from 2019 and those that were reopened.
Essex Probate and Family Court
The Essex Probate and Family Court exercises exclusive jurisdiction over Peabody probate matters like conservatorships, wills, guardianships, and trusts. It also adjudicates over family-related cases such as divorce, paternity establishment, support, adoption, family abuse protection, elderly abuse protection, disabled person's abuse protection, and custody.
The Essex Probate and Family Court has a virtual registry that allows court users to receive face-to-face virtual help from court staff while remaining in the safety of their homes. Attorneys and self-represented litigants may also use the Court's e-filing option to submit the following court documents
- Voluntary Administration Statement
- Petition for Guardianship of Incapacitated Person
- Joint Petition for Divorce 1A
- Petition for Late and Limited Formal
- Petition for Informal Probate
- Complaint for a Divorce 1B
- Petition for Formal Probate
However, the courthouse is still open for business at:
Essex Probate and Family Court
36 Federal Street,
Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978) 744-1020
Email: Essexcorrespondences@jud.state.ma.us
In 2020, the Essex Family and Probate Court received 13,991 cases. 5,084 of these cases were probate matters, including estate administration, equity, etc. while over 8,900 were concerning domestic relations and child welfare.
Essex Superior Court
The Essex Superior Court is the trial court with exclusive original jurisdiction over first-degree murder cases. It also has original jurisdiction over all other crimes including felonies. However, the Court shares jurisdiction with the District Court on felonies that do not require a state prison sentence. It can also hear certain appeals from the lower court trials, such as the review of an accused's bail status or a ruling on a motion.
Due to safety regulations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Essex Superior Court carries on business virtually, particularly for the following criminal matters:
- Dangerousness hearings, in specific situations
- Arraignment if the suspect is still detained
- Bail determinations after an arrest or surrender following a Superior Court warrant
- Proceedings on non-evidentiary motions
- Bail reviews
- Conferences
Interested parties may contact the Court at
Essex County Superior Court
56 Federal Street,
Salem, MA 01970
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: Clerk's Office (978) 744-5500, Probation Department (978) 825-4880
Fax: Clerk's Office (978) 741-0691, Probation Department (978) 741-4368
Email: Essex.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us
The Essex Superior Court received 1,116 criminal case entries in 2020 and 1,429 criminal case entries in 2019.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Supreme Judicial Court is the court of last resort, as well as the administrative head of the judiciary and bar in the state of Massachusetts. The Court hears a variety of appeals of both criminal and civil cases. It also issues advisory opinions on the request of the governor or state legislature. The Court conducts its business at
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court,
John Adams Courthouse,
1 Pemberton Square,
Boston, MA 02108
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: (617) 557-1000
In 2018, the Supreme Judicial Court received a total of 102 direct case entries.
Massachusetts Appeals Court
The Appeals Court is the appellate court with statewide jurisdiction to hear appeals in different types of cases. It can also review the decisions of the Appellate Tax Board, the Industrial Accident Board, and the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board.
In adhering to applicable health protocols, the Massachusetts Appeals Court conducts most of its proceedings virtually, via emails, telephone, and videoconferencing. However, the courthouse remains accessible to litigants, attorneys, and other members of the public that the court may deem necessary. Interested parties may contact the Court at
Appeals Court
John Adams Courthouse,
1 Pemberton Square, Room 1200,
Boston, MA 02108
Judges' Lobby: (617) 725-8085
Clerk's Office: (617) 921-4443
Oral Argument Postponement or Cancellation Updates Line: (617) 725-8114
Human Resources Department: (617) 723-1533
The Massachusetts Appeals Court received 736 criminal appeals in 2020. 388 were appeals from the Superior Court, 303 from the various District Courts, and 30 were from the Juvenile Court.
Universities in Peabody
There are no universities or colleges in Peabody.
