District Courts

  1. Law
  2. Massachusetts General Laws
  3. Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases
  4. Courts and Judicial Officers
  5. District Courts

Checkout our iOS App for a better way to browser and research.

Section
1

Territorial Jurisdiction and Place of Holding Court

Section
2

Boston Municipal Courts; Concurrent Jurisdiction Over Waters and Islands

Section
2a

Transfer of Civil Actions Brought in Wrong Court

Section
3

Boston Municipal Courts; Concurrent Criminal Jurisdiction Over Waters and Islands

Section
4

District Court Jurisdiction; Seals

Section
4a

Massachusetts Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act

Section
5

Contempt Cases; Service of Process

Section
6

Justices; Number; Terms; Compensation; Duties

Section
6a

Special Justices of District Court; Certification of Full Time Duties; Restrictions on Employment

Section
7

Oaths; Power to Administer

Section
8

Clerks; Appointment; Number; Retirement; Vacation and Sick Leave

Section
9

Temporary Clerks

Section
10

Assistant Clerks

Section
10a

Deputy Assistant Clerks; Power to Designate

Section
11

Temporary Assistant Clerks

Section
12

Clerks; Oath of Office; Duties and Powers

Section
13

Records; Storage

Section
14

Facsimile Signatures

Section
15

Times for Holding Trials; Office Hours

Section
16

Bond of Clerk

Section
17

Justice, Clerk or Assistant Clerk; Restrictions on Practice of Law; Special Justices; Restrictions on Hearing or Trying Cases

Section
18

Justices and Clerks; Receipt of Certain Fees; Prohibition

Section
19

General Provisions

Section
19a

District Court or Boston Municipal Court; Statement of Facts in Support of Civil Action for Damages; Dismissal; Appeals

Section
19b

District Court or Boston Municipal Court; Trial by Jury of Six; Appeals

Section
19c

District Court Jurisdiction; Equity Powers and Rules

Section
19d

Housing Specialists; Appointment; Knowledge Requisites; Powers and Duties

Section
20

Actions Against Executors and Administrators, and Against Bail

Section
21

Power to Establish Rules of Small Claims Procedure; Venue; Jurisdictional Amount; Hearings; Damages and Penalties

Section
22

Procedure

Section
23

Initial Determination of Cause; Removal; Claim for Trial by Jury; Bond or Deposit; Finding as Evidence; Report to Appellate Division

Section
24

Transfer to Regular Docket

Section
25

Costs; Discretion of Court

Section
26

General Provisions

Section
26a

Trial by Jury; Discovery; Jury-Waived Trial; Record of Proceedings; Probation

Section
27

Imposition of Penalties

Section
27a

Jury Sessions

Section
28

Recognizances to Keep Peace

Section
29

Repealed, 1964, 308, Sec. 10

Section
30

Binding Over to Superior Court

Section
31

Repealed, 1992, 379, Sec. 142

Section
32

Complaints and Warrants

Section
32a

Inclusion of Offense-Based Tracking Number on Application for Complaint

Section
33

Warrants and Process; Power of Clerks to Issue

Section
34

Arrest Without Warrant; Endorsement of Complaint by Arresting Officer

Section
35

Complaints, Warrants and Process; Power to Issue; Disqualification to Hear Case; Destruction of Applications for Complaints

Section
35a

Process; Issuance on Complaints for Misdemeanors; Consideration of Criminal Records and Domestic Violence Records; Right to Hearing

Section
36

Justice of Peace; Taking Bail

Section
37

Process for Witnesses and Defendants in Criminal and Juvenile Cases; Direction and Service

Section
38

Access to Courts; Sittings; Adjournments; Filing of Complaints

Section
39

Books and Supplies

Section
40

Part-Time Special Justices; Authorized Cases

Section
41

Special Justice; Powers and Duties

Section
42

Adjournment When Justice Absent

Section
42a

Chief Justice; Powers and Duties

Section
42b

Deputy Court Administrator

Section
43

Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure; Power to Make and Promulgate

Section
43a

Uniform Practices; Forms; Superintendence of Record Keeping

Section
43b

Official Forms; Powers of Chief Justice

Section
43c

Repealed, 1978, 478, Sec. 199

Section
43d

Repealed, 1993, 478, Sec. 7

Section
43e

Community Mediation Advisory Board; Coordinator

Section
44

Process; Formal Requisites; Territorial Jurisdiction

Section
45

46 - Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 15

Section
47

Clerks; Duty to Make Payments and to Account; Penalty

Section
48

Sentences to Deer Island

Section
49

Clerks; Duty to Pay Certain Fees; Advances; Accounting

Section
50

Justices; Number; Vacation and Sick Leave; Rule Making Power

Section
51

Repealed, 1978, 478, Sec. 205

Section
51a

Chief Justice of the Boston Municipal Court Department; Powers and Duties

Section
52

Justices and Special Justices; Assignment; Additional Sessions; Compensation, Etc.

Section
52a

Clerks; Criminal and Civil Business

Section
53

Clerks and Assistant Clerks

Section
53a

Temporary Assistant Clerks

Section
54

Civil Jurisdiction

Section
55

Recording Systems; Stenographic and Medical Services and Equipment

Section
56

Clerks; Accounting; Penalty

Section
57

Juvenile Courts; Divisions; Territorial Jurisdiction; Appeals

Section
57a

Chief Justice for the Juvenile Court Department; Powers and Duties

Section
57b

Deputy Court Administrator for the Juvenile Court Department

Section
58

Justices and Clerks; Assignment; Salaries; Vacation and Sick Leave; Interpreters

Section
58a

Administrative Assistant for Intergovernmental Relations

Section
58b

Special Justices of Boston Juvenile Court; Certification of Full-Time Duties; Restrictions on Employment

Section
58c

Special Justices of Juvenile Court

Section
59

Powers, Duties and Procedure; Jurisdiction

Section
60

Jurisdiction Over Offenders; Rule Making Power

Section
61

To 65 - Repealed, 1992, 379, Sec. 168

Section
66

Boston Municipal Court Department; Messenger

Section
67

Boston Municipal Court; Interpreters

Section
68

East Boston Division of the Boston Municipal Court Department; Interpreter

Section
69

Clerks of Divisions of District Court Department; Allowance for Assistance

Section
70

Clerks of Boston Municipal and Juvenile Court Departments; Allowance for Assistance

Section
71

To 73 - Repealed, 1922, 399, Sec. 3

Section
74

Monthly Installments

Section
75

75a - Repealed, 1978, 478, Sec. 224

Section
75b

Salaries of Assistant Clerks of Boston Municipal Court Department

Section
76

76a - Repealed, 1978, 478, Sec. 224

Section
77

Repealed, 1955, 741, Sec. 1a

Section
77a

77b - Repealed, 1978, 478, Sec. 224

Section
78

Repealed, 1975, 863, Sec. 6

Section
79

Salaries of Clerks

Section
80

Compensation of Assistant Clerks; Practice of Law

Section
80a

Boston Municipal Court Department; Salaries of Secretary and Assistant Secretary to Justices

Section
81

Traveling Expenses

Section
82

Repealed, 1956, 738, Sec. 8

Section
82a

Repealed, 1969, 867, Sec. 2

Section
83

Repealed, 1931, 301, Sec. 36

Section
84

Computation of Compensation