Massachusetts Court Summary

The Massachusetts trial court system consists of Superior Courts, District Courts, Probate and Family Courts, Housing Courts, Juvenile Courts, Boston Municipal Courts, and The Land Court.

Massachusetts has a unified trial court system organized into seven trial court departments. Jurisdiction over cases is generally divided between courts by case type, but several court departments share jurisdiction over certain types of cases. Superior Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases but usually handle cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of other trial courts. District Courts, Boston Municipal Courts, Probate and Family Courts, Housing Courts and Juvenile Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain types of cases. The Land Court has limited jurisdiction over certain types of civil cases and handles cases for the entire state from one location.


First Name	MI	Last Name	State

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Where to find court cases in Massachusetts

The chart below gives general information on the types of cases heard in each type of court in Massachusetts.

= Most or all cases.

= Some cases.

Case Type	Court Type
Civil	Superior Courts	District Courts	Probate and Family Courts	Housing Courts	Juvenile Courts	Boston Municipal Courts
General Civil - Unlimited
General Civil - Limited
Small Claims
Civil Equity
Complex Commercial
Foreclosures and Liens
Real Estate Title and Boundary
Landlord / Tenant
Ordinance Violations
Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders
Administrative Agency Appeals
Criminal	Superior Courts	District Courts	Probate and Family Courts	Housing Courts	Juvenile Courts	Boston Municipal Courts
Felony
Felony Preliminary Hearings
Misdemeanors
Ordinance Violations
Juvenile
Traffic and Infractions		$Most or all Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the District Courts$				$Most or all Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the Boston Municipal Courts$
Domestic Relations	Superior Courts	District Courts	Probate and Family Courts	Housing Courts	Juvenile Courts	Boston Municipal Courts
Divorce
Child Custody and Visitation
Child Support
Paternity
Domestic Violence Protection Order
Juvenile	Superior Courts	District Courts	Probate and Family Courts	Housing Courts	Juvenile Courts	Boston Municipal Courts
Adoptions
Juvenile Delinquency
Child Abuse and Neglect
Termination of Parental Rights
Children in Need of Supervision
Mental Health	Superior Courts	District Courts	Probate and Family Courts	Housing Courts	Juvenile Courts	Boston Municipal Courts
Involuntary Commitments
Other Mental Health Cases
Probate	Superior Courts	District Courts	Probate and Family Courts	Housing Courts	Juvenile Courts	Boston Municipal Courts
Wills & Estates
Name Changes
Trusts
Guardianships and Conservatorships

Note: Some courts in Massachusetts are not included in the chart above. Please use the following links for descriptions and types of cases heard:

The Land Court

Massachusetts Courts Summary