Being Accused is Traumatic. We Understand.
We Get You Safely Through the Storm.
Defending good people who have a really bad day.
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We have been defending clients in Gloucester District Court for over 30 years, including OUI cases from first offenses to repeat charges with serious mandatory penalties. Cape Ann is served by a single district court, so charges from Gloucester, Rockport, and Essex are all heard here. If you or someone you care about has been charged with a crime on Cape Ann, this is where your case will be heard, and we are ready to help. Serious felony cases from Gloucester District Court are sometimes moved to Essex Superior Court in Salem, where we have a successful trial record.
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You can review examples of our case results here.
Gloucester District Court is accessible via the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line. Get off at Gloucester Station, approximately a half-mile walk from the courthouse. Cape Ann Transit Authority buses also serve the area.
A metered lot sits directly across the street from the courthouse, and there is a public parking lot about two blocks away. Metered street parking is also available on the surrounding streets.
If you have just been arrested, released, or received a summons, take a breath. Here is what you need to do right now.
● Don't talk to police without a lawyer present -- you have the right to remain silent and you should use it
● Don't discuss your case with anyone except your attorney
● Don't contact any alleged victims or witnesses
● Preserve any evidence that might help your defense: photos, text messages, surveillance footage, witness contact information
● Write down everything you remember about what happened while it is still fresh
● Don't post anything about your case on social media
● Follow all court orders and conditions of release exactly
● Contact an experienced Massachusetts criminal defense attorney as soon as possible
Facing an OUI charge specifically in Gloucester? See our dedicated Gloucester OUI Defense page for penalties, defenses, and license consequences.
Massachusetts has 62 district courts, each responsible for cases arising within its geographic area. Gloucester District Court serves Essex, Gloucester, and Rockport. It is located at 197 Main Street in Gloucester. District court handles arraignments, bail hearings, motions, and trials for misdemeanors and many felonies. More serious felony matters are transferred to Essex County Superior Court in Salem.
If you served in the military, Essex County has a Veterans Treatment Court at Lawrence District Court, and a case from Gloucester District Court may be able to transfer there. Learn how we represent veterans.
Gloucester District Court is one of eight District Courts in Essex County. You can find the rest, and the three Superior Court locations, on our Essex County criminal defense page.
Gloucester District Court is on the second floor, above the police station. You enter from Main Street. Parking is on the street and on Rogers Street behind the courthouse, and there is no dedicated courthouse lot, so give yourself extra time to find a space.
Get to the building by 8:30 if you are here for an arraignment. Arraignments typically begin between 9:00 and 9:30, though your case may be called later while paperwork is prepared.
Security screening is immediately inside, and the stairs to the second floor are just past it. At the top of the stairs, through the door, the courtroom is immediately on your left. Further down the hall is the clerk's office, with the elevators to its left. Probation is at the far end of the hall, to the right as you face the clerk's office.
For an arraignment, check in at probation when you arrive. Tell the person at the counter that you are there for an arraignment intake. They will ask for your contact information, date of birth, and residential and employment information. This is standard: the court uses it to run a background check and open your file.
Gloucester has one courtroom, and every case is heard there for every purpose. Clerk magistrate hearings are held at the opposite end of the hall, near probation. If you are here for a clerk's hearing, check in at the clerk's office rather than probation.
If your case is set for trial, it will be transferred to Peabody District Court. Gloucester does not host a trial session, so a trial in a Gloucester case is heard in Peabody.
If you have retained us, we will be there with you from the moment you arrive.
Before a criminal complaint is formally issued in many Massachusetts cases, a Clerk Magistrate Hearing, also called a show cause hearing, takes place at the courthouse. At this hearing, the clerk magistrate reviews an application for a complaint and determines whether there is probable cause to issue it.
This hearing is one of the most important opportunities in a criminal case. If the clerk magistrate finds insufficient probable cause, no complaint issues, meaning no arraignment, no criminal record, no case. Even when a complaint does issue, a skilled defense attorney can use the hearing to develop the facts, assess the evidence, and begin building a defense before the case moves forward.
You are not required to have an attorney at a clerk magistrate hearing, but appearing without one is a serious mistake. The Commonwealth will have a police officer or prosecutor present the case for a complaint. You should have someone equally prepared to present your side. We regularly represent clients at clerk magistrate hearings at Gloucester District Court.
If you have received a notice for a clerk magistrate hearing, call us immediately. These hearings move quickly, and early intervention makes a significant difference.
Gloucester District Court sits near Route 128's eastern terminus and serves Gloucester, Rockport, and Essex. The city's working harbor, beaches, and summer tourist season bring a steady mix of OUI, drug, assault, and domestic violence cases to this courthouse. The seasonal population swings tied to fishing and tourism mean this docket sees both year-round residents and visitors, and serious felony charges filed here move to Essex County Superior Court in Salem if the case is indicted.
Cape Ann is a different place in July than it is in February, and this courthouse sees both. Gloucester, Rockport, and Essex share a small year-round population and a summer one several times larger, and the docket changes with the season.
Summer brings OUI arrests. Waterfront restaurants, harbor bars, beach traffic on Route 127 and 128, and visitors driving unfamiliar roads late at night all feed into it. If you were arrested while visiting Cape Ann and live somewhere else, you still have to answer the case here, and that means returning to Gloucester for court dates. We appear for clients in this courthouse regularly, and in many District Court matters we can appear on your behalf so you are not driving back for every event in the case.
An out-of-state arrest carries its own problem. A Massachusetts OUI can follow you home through the interstate compact your own state belongs to, and the license consequences upon conviction may land where you live rather than here. Anyone charged while visiting should understand that exposure before making decisions about the case.
The working waterfront raises a different issue. Commercial fishing, marine trades, and the businesses around them run on licenses, credentials, and clean records. A conviction can reach a merchant mariner credential, a commercial driver's license, or the ability to hold a job that requires a background check. For someone whose income depends on a boat or a truck, what happens to that credential can matter as much as the sentence.
Domestic violence and restraining order matters also make up a real share of this docket, and in a community this size the consequences of an accusation travel quickly. These cases deserve careful handling from the first day, not after an arraignment has already happened.
We defend serious charges in Gloucester District Court and in Essex County Superior Court, for people who live on Cape Ann year round and for people who were only here for the weekend.
Our Comprehensive Criminal Defense approach means we view you not as a legal problem, but as a whole individual living a unique and valued life. We focus on addressing the underlying issues that may have contributed to your legal situation, with the goal of helping you make lasting positive changes.
For some examples of cases we have handled, go here
We have won acquittals or obtained reduced charges or sentences in many types of criminal cases, including:
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Immediate Response: Our phones are answered 24/7 by a real person. When you call, someone will actually answer.
Confidential Discussion: Everything you tell us is protected by attorney-client privilege, even before you formally hire us. You can speak freely about your situation.
No Pressure: A free consultation means exactly that: free, with no obligation. We’ll listen to your situation, answer your questions, and explain how we can help.
Clear Next Steps: If you decide to hire us, we’ll explain our fee structure clearly and work with you on payment arrangements that fit your situation.
Immediate Protection: Once you retain us, we begin working on your case immediately: preserving evidence, investigating facts, and protecting your rights.
"I knew the moment I spoke to Ernie on the phone he was the real deal... We won our case because of his perseverance and professionalism. He's just a really good person who's in your corner fighting for you."
- C.A
"Attorney Stone understands that every client or potential client that he comes across is going through one of the most difficult periods a person will encounter in life... and he makes it part of his job to make sure you feel supported, calm, and confident throughout the process."
- G.C
"Ernie Stone did such an amazing job in helping me out with my case... I truly felt so comfortable working with him... He went above and beyond, and I could not be more grateful... I would recommend Attorney Stone to anyone."
- M.K
Ernie was invaluable in realizing a successful outcome to my case. He made the whole process straightforward and relaxed and his advice and assistance was concise and reassuring. I would absolutely hire him again if needed as he worked diligently to ensure a positive conclusion. Highly recommended!
- N.H
Ernie is an incredible lawyer and a wonderful mentor. I would highly recommend him and trust his advice and expertise.
- J.C
An attorney and a team who really cares about their clients. He did his absolute best in the court room and I got my case dropped thanks to him. I recommend to anyone looking for the best lawyer in town! Positive Quality, Professionalism.
- J.B
Contact our team today for a free consultation. We are available 24/7.
