Courts of Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Before 1978, all trial courts except the Land Court were county or local courts funded through the counties. The Massachusetts Trial Court was created by Chapter 478 of the Acts of 1978 that reorganized the courts into seven Trial Court Departments. Administrative Justices became responsible for the administration of each court department and as part of the overhaul, all judges became state judges with the same salary and benefits.
A second court reorganization in 1992 greatly expanded the Juvenile Court Department and ended trial de novo
in the District Court Department. It also replaced Administrative Justices with Chief Justices and created a central office headed by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management.
, there are 9 Chief Justices and 401 Associate Justices positions authorized by statue in the system with trial judges sitting in more than one 130 locations across the state.
Courts of Massachusetts include:
State courts of Massachusetts
Federal courts located in Massachusetts
A second court reorganization in 1992 greatly expanded the Juvenile Court Department and ended trial de novo
Trial de novo
In law, the expression trial de novo means a "new trial" by a different tribunal...
in the District Court Department. It also replaced Administrative Justices with Chief Justices and created a central office headed by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management.
, there are 9 Chief Justices and 401 Associate Justices positions authorized by statue in the system with trial judges sitting in more than one 130 locations across the state.
Courts of Massachusetts include:
- Judicial courts
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial CourtMassachusetts Supreme Judicial CourtThe Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
- Massachusetts Appeals CourtMassachusetts Appeals CourtThe Massachusetts Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court of Massachusetts. It was created in 1972 as a court of general appellate jurisdiction...
- Massachusetts Trial Court
- Massachusetts Superior CourtMassachusetts Superior CourtThe Massachusetts Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions involving labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, and has exclusive authority to convene medical...
(14 divisions) - Massachusetts District CourtMassachusetts District CourtThe Massachusetts District Court hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential...
- Massachusetts Boston Municipal Court
- Massachusetts Land CourtMassachusetts Land CourtThe Massachusetts Land Court is one of the departments of the trial courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The court is unique among the courts of Massachusetts and among state courts in general because its subject-matter jurisdiction is limited to disputes involving real...
- Massachusetts Housing Court
- Massachusetts Juvenile Court
- Massachusetts Probate and Family Court
- Massachusetts Superior Court
- Massachusetts Trial Court
- Massachusetts Appeals Court
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
- Administrative courts
- Massachusetts Appellate Tax BoardMassachusetts Appellate Tax BoardThe Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board is a quasi-judicial agency within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Office of the Governor. Though part of the executive branch, the ATB is "not subject to its control in the conduct of its adjudicatory functions." G.L. c. 58A, 1...
- Massachusetts Division of Labor Relations
- Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board
Federal courts located in Massachusetts
- United States Court of Appeals for the First CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the First CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Maine* District of Massachusetts...
(headquartered in BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, having jurisdiction over the United States District Courts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico) - United States District Court for the District of MassachusettsUnited States District Court for the District of MassachusettsThe United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA. The first court session was held in Boston in 1789. The second term was held in Salem in 1790 and until 1813 court session locations...