Writs of Attachment

Massachusetts law allows the Sheriff’s Department to attach real property through Writs of Attachment issued by the Superior or District Courts. A Deputy Sheriff records these attachments at the Registry of Deeds.

Writs of Attachment are valid for 30 days from the court’s issuance. To ensure the attachment is recorded in time, it must be sent to the Sheriff’s Department before this deadline.

You must specify if the Writ should be recorded or registered with the Essex County Registry of Deeds and indicate how you want the attachment recorded.

Types of Attachments:

• General – any and all property located in the county of Essex
• General with Parcel – any and all property located in the county of Essex including, but not limited to property located at a specific physical address
• Specific – property located at a specific physical address located in the county of Essex

If you would like the Writ of Attachment to be recorded in Registered Land, you must send in the certificate number and the document number for the property. Attachments in Registered Land can ONLY be specific.

What is needed:

1. Cover Letter with the following:
   1. Which part of the Registry of Deeds you would like it recorded in, Recorded Land or Registered Land
   2. If you would like it to be a specific attachment or a general attachment
   3. An address for the defendant, for us to notify them of the attachment by first class mailing
2. Original Writ of Attachment
3. Copy of the deed (specific only)
4. Check for the recording fee, made payable to the REGISTRY OF DEEDS for $105.00