Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 218 - District Courts
Section 52a - Clerks; Criminal and Civil Business

Section 52A. The central division of the Boston municipal court department shall have one clerk for both criminal and civil business. The position of clerk for civil business shall be abolished when said position becomes vacant and the duties of such clerk shall be assumed by the clerk for criminal business who shall be hereinafter the one clerk for the said central division of the Boston municipal court department. The first assistant clerk for criminal business shall hereinafter serve as the first assistant clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department. The person currently serving as acting clerk for civil business shall hereinafter serve as the second assistant clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department and shall be paid at the same rate of compensation that he now receives. Any reference in any general or special law to a clerk of the Boston municipal court for civil business shall be construed to refer to the one clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department as proscribed herein.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases

Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers

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