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 30 - Binding Over to Superior Court
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 43e - Community Mediation Advisory Board; Coordinator
Section 44 - Process; Formal Requisites; Territorial Jurisdiction
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 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 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 74 - Monthly Installments
Section 75b - Salaries of Assistant Clerks of Boston Municipal Court Department
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 84 - Computation of Compensation