Massachusetts General Laws|Chapter 218 - DISTRICT COURTS

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