To file suit, you must fill out a Statement of Claim and Notice form. Get this from the Small Claims Clerk in your district. Your claim may be filed in person or by mail. However, when the papers are sent by mail to the clerk, the action is not commenced until the papers are actually received.
The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases.
To obtain the official public record of the Trial Court, which will include hard copies of the public case documents, visit the Clerk, Register, or Recorder's office where the case was filed.
It is best to go in person to each court to get certified copies of your docket sheets and police reports. If you are not able to go, call the Criminal Clerk's Office at each court and find out how to request copies by fax or mail. Some courts charge a small fee for copies.
The Massachusetts Court System consists of the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), the Appeals Court, the Executive Office of the Trial Court, the 7 Trial Court departments, the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS), and the Office of Jury Commissioner (OJC).
The Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction for Massachusetts, and is committed to delivering high-quality justice with dignity and speed. The court's 82 justices sit in 20 courthouses in all 14 state counties.
Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases are typically initiated in the district or superior court of the jurisdiction where the offense reportedly occurred. However, Massachusett's superior courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over first-degree murder cases as well as the authority to hear other felony matters.
The Office of Court Management reports to the Court Administrator and supports Trial Court operations for the 7 Trial Court departments (District Court, Boston Municipal Court, Housing Court, Juvenile Court, Land Court, Probate & Family Court, and Superior Court), Probation, and the Jury Commissioner, in the areas of ...