The Appeals Court

About the Court

Appeals Court

Chief Justice of the Appeals Court
Phillip Rapoza

     Created in 1972, the Appeals Court is a court of general appellate jurisdiction. Most appeals from the several Departments of the Trial Court are entered initially in the Appeals Court; some are then transferred to the Supreme Judicial Court, but a majority will be decided by the Appeals Court. The Appeals Court also has jurisdiction over appeals from final decisions of three State agencies: the Appellate Tax Board, the Department of Industrial Accidents and the Labor Relations Commission.

      A few types of appeals do not go the Appeals Court. For example, an appeal from a conviction of first degree murder goes directly to the Supreme Judicial Court. In the District Court Department, appeals in certain civil cases are made first to the Appellate Division of the District Court.

      The Appeals Court has twenty-five statutory judges. The Court also has the services on recall of several retired appellate judges.

      Like most intermediate appellate courts, the Appeals Court almost always sits in panels of three. The composition of the three-judge panels changes regularly, so that each judge has the opportunity to sit with every other judge. The Court holds sessions in Boston during every month from September through June; it also holds sessions throughout the year in locations outside of Boston.

      In addition to its appellate, or "panel," jurisdiction, the Appeals Court runs a continuous single justice session, with a separate docket. The single justice may review interlocutory orders and orders for injunctive relief issued by certain Trial Court Departments, as well as requests for review of summary process appeal bonds, certain attorney's fee awards, motions for stays of civil proceedings or criminal sentences pending appeal, and motions to review impoundment orders. Each associate justice sits as single justice for a month at a time.