Section 1. The housing court department established pursuant to section 1 of chapter 211B shall include: (i) a western division consisting of the municipalities in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties; (ii) a central division consisting of the municipalities in Worcester county and the municipalities of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Natick, Sherborn, Sudbury and Wayland; (iii) a northeastern division consisting of the municipalities in Essex county and the municipalities of Acton, Ashby, Ayer, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Groton, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Malden, Maynard, Melrose, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Shirley, Stoneham, Stow, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Westford, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester and Woburn and the jurisdiction known as Devens established in chapter 498 of the acts of 1993; (iv) a southeastern division consisting of the municipalities in Barnstable, Bristol and Nantucket counties and the county of Dukes County and the municipalities of Carver, Duxbury, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate and Wareham; (v) a metro south division consisting of the municipalities in Norfolk county, except Brookline, and the municipalities of Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater and Whitman; and (vi) an eastern division consisting of the municipalities in Suffolk county and the municipalities of Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Cambridge, Medford, Newton and Somerville. Wherever the words ''housing court'' are used, or wherever in this chapter the word ''court'' is used in that context, they shall refer to a division of the housing court department; and the words ''judge of the housing court'' or the word ''judge'', in context, shall mean an associate justice of the trial court appointed to a division of the housing court department.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations
Title I - Title to Real Property
Chapter 185c - Housing Court Department
Section 1 - Housing Court Department; Composition; Definitions
Section 2 - Superior and General Jurisdiction; Presumption; Processes
Section 3 - Concurrent Jurisdiction; Powers of Superior Court Department; Enforcement Authority
Section 5 - Time for Transaction of Business
Section 7 - Rules and Forms of Procedure
Section 8 - Justices; Appointment; Disputes Between Justices and Clerks; Appeals; Removal
Section 8a - Chief Justice Authority and Responsibility
Section 8b - Deputy Court Administrator
Section 9 - Clerks; Appointment; Disputes Between Justices and Clerks
Section 9a - Salaries of Clerks and Assistant Clerks; Practice of Law
Section 12 - Oath of Office of Clerks
Section 14 - Powers and Duties of Clerks
Section 16 - Housing Specialists
Section 17 - Practice of Law by Clerks or Housing Specialists
Section 18 - Recording System; Procurement of Law Books, Stationery, Etc.
Section 19 - Commencement of Proceedings; Fees; Non-Willful Offense Deemed Non-Criminal
Section 20 - Transfer of Civil Actions
Section 21 - Trial Without Jury; Exception; Report of Inspector as Prima Facie Evidence