Watertown City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Crime Index
Watertown is a medium-sized city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. In 2019, Watertown had an overall crime rate of 962 crimes per 100,000 residents and a total of 348 reported crimes. The residents of Watertown have a 1 in 104 chance of becoming a victim of a crime.
In 2019, the city recorded 29 violent crimes including 17 aggravated assaults, 10 rapes, 0 murders, and 2 robberies. An estimated 47 aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents, 5.5 robberies for every 100,000 people, and 27 rapes per 100,000 residents.
In 2019, Property crimes accounted for over 90% of the total crimes reported in Watertown, with 319 reported incidents, Larceny was the most frequent type of property crime in the city, 269 incidents reported of larceny were recorded. There were 36 reported burglaries, 14 reported motor vehicle theft, and no reported cases of arson. However, the city had 42 DUI cases.
Waltham District Courthouse
The Waltham District Court serves the city of Watertown. It is a jury trial court with jurisdiction over most criminal matters, including all misdemeanors and violations of town and city ordinances and by-laws. Although the court may preside over certain felonies, the law restricts its jurisdiction to felonies that are punishable by a sentence of no more than 5 years imprisonment.
The Waltham District Court may also carry out probable cause hearings for felonies that are outside its jurisdiction. These hearings are to determine whether or not to transfer a defendant to the Middlesex Superior Court. The Court’s judges also have the authority to issue arrest warrants, as well as criminal and administrative search warrants.
The Waltham District Court is very rigorous and hears cases of domestic violence, assault, and battery.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Waltham District Courthouse conducts most of its business, including court hearings remotely, by email, telephone, or videoconference. This also provides members of the public with the opportunity to listen to the Court’s events via a public access telephone line. The courthouse is open to members of the public who
- Are required to appear in-person at the court proceedings
- Need to conduct in-person business with a clerk's, recorder's or register's office
- Have been mandated to meet with a probation officer or staff person
- Intend to carry out business at other offices that are located in the courthouse and are open to the public
Cout visitors must follow the necessary guidelines.
The Waltham District Courthouse may also furnish a drop-box in a convenient and secure location at its entrance for parties to deliver documents or pleadings for filing. Interested parties contact the court for information
Waltham District Court,
38 Linden Street,
Waltham, MA 02452
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: (781) 894-4500
Email: cmwalthamdc@jud.state.ma.us
In the 2020 fiscal year, 1,485 criminal defendants appeared in the Waltham District Court. This is significantly lower than the 2,018 criminal defendants that were arraigned before the Court in 2019.
Northeastern Housing Court - Woburn Session
The Northeast Housing Court - Woburn Session handles all residential housing cases within Watertown. It has jurisdiction over criminal and civil matters that involve the safety, health, or welfare of the occupants or owners of residential housing. The court also presides over code enforcement cases and appeals from the decisions of the local zoning board that affects residential housing.
Additionally, the court handles criminal matters that seek to implement local ordinances or the state’s sanitary, building, and fire prevention codes that regulate residential housing. The court sits on Fridays by 8:30 a.m.
Court sessions are conducted remotely but parties to a case, attorneys, witnesses, court personnel, and other persons that the presiding judge may consider necessary are granted access to the courthouse.
To ease whatever difficulties these restrictions may present to the court users, the Northeast Housing Court Clerk's Office and Northeast Housing Specialist Department provide a virtual front counter. The Court also provides an eFiling platform where attorneys and self-represented litigants may submit documents to the court virtually. Interested parties may contact the Northeast Housing Court at
Northeast Housing Court - Woburn Session,
200 Trade Center,
Courtroom 540 - 5th Floor,
Woburn, MA 01801
Phone: (978) 689-7833
Email: NortheastHousingCourt@jud.state.ma.us
In 2020, the court received 56 criminal case entries, a slight increase from the 52 criminal case entries in 2019.
Middlesex Superior Court
The Middlesex Superior Court is the trial court with jurisdiction over felonies that are punishable by a sentence of more than 5 years imprisonment. Its jurisdiction exceeds that of the Waltham District Court, its judges may impose a state prison sentence. Likewise, the Court has exclusive jurisdiction over first-degree murder trials.
The court conducts most of its hearings remotely, by telephone or video, especially for the following criminal matters:
- Arraignment if the suspect is still detained
- Bail reviews
- Bail determinations after an arrest or surrender following a Superior Court warrant
- Dangerousness hearings, in certain situations
- Proceedings on non-evidentiary motions
- Conferences
Interested parties may contact the Court’s Clerk’s Office and Probation Department at
Middlesex Superior Court
200 Trade Center, 2nd Floor,
Woburn, MA 01801
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (781) 939-2700
Email: Middlesex.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us
In 2020, the Middlesex Superior Court received 888 criminal case entries compared to 1,142 criminal case entries in 2019.
Middlesex County Juvenile Court - Waltham Session
The Middlesex County Juvenile Court - Waltham Session has jurisdiction over
- Delinquency
- Adoption
- Care and protection
- Children requiring assistance
- Youthful offender
- Adult contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Guardianship
- Termination of parental rights proceedings
Parties may access the court’s remote options through the Middlesex Juvenile Court Virtual Front Counter or contact the court for information.
Waltham Juvenile Court,
38 Linden Street,
Waltham, MA 02452
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: (781) 899-7672
Email: middlesex-jccallctr@jud.state.ma.us
In 2020, the Middlesex County Juvenile Court dealt with 3,214 cases, 695 were delinquency cases and 12 were youthful offender cases.
Land Court - Massachusetts
The Land Court handles the registration of title to real property and presides over all matters and conflicts concerning such title following registration. It also has jurisdiction over the redemption and foreclosure of real estate tax liens. Generally, the Land Court conducts court proceedings in Boston. However, the Court may hold trials in other cities, including Watertown upon counsel request or if the circumstances warrant.
Land Court Recorder’s Office provides a virtual front counter where the court staff can provide face-to-face assistance to members of the public. This counter operates 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.
The court received 7,325 new case entries in 2020 and adjudicated 26,037 including cases that were carried over from 2019 and cases that were reopened.
Middlesex Probate and Family Court South - Woburn
The Middlesex Probate and Family Court South - Woburn oversees family-related and probate issues. This includes divorce, adoption, custody, paternity, parenting time, termination of parental rights, child support, and abuse prevention. The Court also handles estates, wills, trusts, conservatorships, guardianships, and changes of name.
The Middlesex Probate and Family Court South - Woburn provides a virtual registry to help parties ease into using the court’s remote options. Attorneys and self-represented litigants can use the eFiling option to file court documents through the internet. Electronic filing is permitted for cases such as
- Joint Petition for Divorce 1A
- Petition for Guardianship of Incapacitated Person
- Complaint for a Divorce 1B
- Petition for Late and Limited Formal
- Petition for Informal Probate
- Petition for Formal Probate
- Voluntary Administration Statement
Interested parties may contact the court at:
Middlesex Probate and Family Court,
10-U Commerce Way,
Woburn, MA 01801
Telephone: (781) 865-4000
Paternity: (781) 865-4007
Adoption/SIJS: (781) 865-4002
Divorce: (781) 865-4004
Probate (Estates/Guardianships): (781) 865-4008
Fax: Registry (617) 225-0781, Lobby (781) 528-2318, Probation (617) 374-9845
Email: middlesexprobate@jud.state.ma.us
The court received 19,893 cases. 46.2% of these cases were probate matters, including estate administration, equity, etc. while 53.8% were domestic cases.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Supreme Judicial Court is the highest appellate court in the state of Massachusetts. The Court comprises a Chief Justice and six other Justices. These Justices hear appeals on a wide range of criminal cases from September through May.
In light of the public health concerns arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Courthouse is only open to litigants, attorneys, and other specific members of the public. For more information, interested parties may contact the Court 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
The Supreme Judicial Court, in 2018, had a total of 102 direct case entries.
Massachusetts Appeals Court
The Appeals Court is the court of general appellate jurisdiction. The justices review the decisions of various trial judges in different case types. The Appeals Court also has jurisdiction to hear appeals from final decisions of the Industrial Accident Board, the Appellate Tax Board, and the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board.
In line with applicable health protocols, the Appeals Court conducts most of its business virtually, via emails, telephone, and videoconferencing. However, the courthouse remains open 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
In 2020, the court received 736 criminal appeals. 388 were appeals from the Superior Court, 303 from the District Courts, and 30 were from the Juvenile Court.
Universities in Watertown
There are no universities or colleges in Watertown.
