As you may know, there is a new trial courthouse in Taunton and this newsletter will provide you with some helpful information about the courthouse.
The first thing that regulars at Taunton Court know is to avoid the elevator unless it is an emergency. There have been almost daily problems with the elevator, including people being stuck in it for long periods of time.
Other than that, the Taunton Courthouse is a very good facility in which the district court, housing court and Taunton juvenile court are located. All on the first floor of the building you can find the clerk’s office, criminal probation office, the housing court clerk’s office, district court clerk’s office, the juvenile court as well as some of the district court courtrooms.
The district court probation office is located on the second floor, as are the probate court, family services, the probate court clerk’s office and probate court department of revenue.
On the third floor, there are generally two court rooms for family and probate court with the lists directly outside. Other courts might have evidentiary motions or trials and sometimes pre-trials for District Court in these court rooms.
Bristol Probate & Family Court Telephone Numbers:
Telephone Number: (508) 977-6040 Fax Number: (508) 977-6088
Taunton District Court Telephone Numbers:
Main Telephone Number: (508) 977-6000 Clerk’s Telephone Number: (508) 977-6140 Criminal & Civil Fax No.: (508) 977-6140 Probation Dept. Fax (508) 977-6100 Judge’s Lobby Fax (508) 977-6130
Taunton Juvenile Court Telephone Numbers:
Phone: (508) 977-4905 Fax: (508) 977-0480
For somebody who has lived in Boston in the past, parking is not much of an issue, but there is no parking lot for court visitors. There is street parking nearby and meter parking. There is also parking at the Leonard Street Municipal Garage, the parking lot behind city hall on Main Street, and Gallighan’s Lot behind El Mariachi restaurant. There is also a new parking lot at the site of the old State Armory Building on Pleasant Street. There is a large free parking lot on Trescott Street. There is also a $5.00 a day parking lot on Court Street.
On Broadway street there is a OFF Broadway Diner and Jimmy’s Restaurant, both of which serve breakfast and lunch. DeVito’s Pizza is also located on Broadway. There is also Courthouse Café & Deli which has fresh bagels. There is a homemade donut shop called Colonial Do-Nut on Broadway as well. If you are looking for lunches with a little more ethnicity, there is Hong Kong City on Broadway which is a short drive. Also on Broadway is a new Chinese Restaurant and JB is also on Broadway, which is a small place, but has a good take out area. In addition, there is El Mariachi, a large, relatively new Mexican Restaurant on the corner of the Taunton Green.
If you need to stay over in Taunton, there are a variety of places to stay, but the Taunton Holiday Inn in the Industrial Park is recommended as being relatively clean and one of the nicer places to stay. There is also a gym at the Holiday Inn and the Taunton YMCA, which is also on Cohannet Street, and has a gym which is a nice big facility with a swimming pool, where you can do a pay-as-you-go.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles is also in the same complex as the Cohannet Street gym, if you need to get a driving record. It is not a full service Registry of Motor Vehicles, but has a variety of services.
If the weather is pleasant you might want to take a break either at the lunch recess or after court at Boyd’s Conservation Land that is a hidden little area where you can kayak, or take a walk. There is also a State Park a bit further in East Taunton where there are outdoor activities. There is also Reko, which is a good place to fish, kayak or go canoeing. People also go ice fishing there and do other activities. On Bay Street there is a pond called Watson Pond, where you can picnic, swim, or just relax.
Also if you want to go to the movies or shop, there is the Taunton Galleria Mall, off Route 140. There is also a Starbucks and a variety of restaurants in or near the Galleria Mall along with Target and other stores.