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Massachusetts Superior Court
| Local Courts |
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| Trial courts and judges |
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The Massachusetts Superior Court resides in Massachusetts. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1]
| “ | 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.
The Superior Court has exclusive original jurisdiction of first-degree murder cases, and has original jurisdiction of all other crimes, civil actions over $50,000, matters where parties are seeking equitable relief, and actions including labor disputes where parties are seeking injunctive relief. The Superior Court also has exclusive authority to convene medical malpractice tribunals, has appellate jurisdiction over certain administrative proceedings, and may hold naturalization sittings in any city or town.[2] |
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Selection method
- See also: Assisted appointment
The 82 judges of the Massachusetts Superior Court are appointed by the governor with advice from the judicial nominating commission. Each judge is appointed to serve until the age of 70.[3]
Selection of the chief judge
The superior court chief is selected by the chief justice of the supreme judicial court and serves in that capacity for five years.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on either of these courts, a judge must:[3]
- be a U.S. citizen;
- be a state resident;
- be a state bar member in good standing;
- have 13 years legal experience and training (10 years for superior court judges); and
- under the age of 70 (retirement at 70 is mandatory).
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Mass.gov, "About the Superior Court," accessed May 18, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Massachusetts," archived October 2, 2014
Federal courts:
First Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Massachusetts • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Massachusetts
State courts:
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court • Massachusetts Appeals Court • Massachusetts Superior Courts • Massachusetts District Courts • Massachusetts Housing Courts • Massachusetts Juvenile Courts • Massachusetts Land Courts • Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts • Boston Municipal Courts, Massachusetts
State resources:
Courts in Massachusetts • Massachusetts judicial elections • Judicial selection in Massachusetts
