A case is ready for appeal when a judgment has been entered about all issues and parties so there’s nothing left to litigate. You must file a notice of appeal and the $180 filing fee with the clerk of the District Court where your case was heard within 10 days of the date the judgment was entered. See Dist./Mun. Cts. R. A. D. A. 3(a) and 4(a). If you’ve filed and served certain post-judgment motions on time, the 10-day period for filing the notice of appeal starts on the date the court’s order on the motion was entered. See Dist./Mun. Cts. R. A. D. A. 4(a).
If a District Court judge has made an order or ruling that isn’t a final judgment in your case and you believe that the judge has committed an error of law or an abuse of discretion, you may appeal that order or ruling to the Appellate Division, but only where:
- The order or ruling was on a request for equitable relief, see G.L. c. 231, § 118A
- The judge has decided to report the issue to the Appellate Division. See Dist./Mun. Cts. R. A. D. A. 5.