Civil Appeals Clinic

Get information about the civil appeals clinic run by the Volunteer Lawyers Project

If you have questions about how to appeal a judgment or decision from a trial court, the Civil Appeals Clinic may be able to help. Through the Clinic, free attorneys can explain the process for appealing a judgment or decision and answer questions about it. These attorneys also can help you decide if you should appeal a decision. In some cases, your case may be referred for further assistance and representation on the appeal.  

About the Clinic

The Civil Appeals Clinic is run by the Volunteer Lawyers Project and staffed by volunteer attorneys.  It is limited to low-income persons who qualify for services in certain civil matters.  You will be screened for income, assets, and case type, among other things, before a volunteer attorney can meet with you.  For more information about the screening process, please contact the Eastern Region Legal Intake (ERLI) Helpline at [phone].  To sign up for the Clinic, you may call [phone] or apply online. 

Clinic Hours

The Clinic offers legal assistance, both in person and on Zoom, on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

Clinic Locations 

To get legal assistance in person, please visit the Appeals Court Clerk's Office at the John Adams Courthouse.

Appeals Court Clerk's Office

John Adams Courthouse

One Pemberton Square, Room 1200

Boston MA 02108

If you are not able to attend the Clinic in person, you may join the Clinic's Zoom session using the Zoom link or Meeting ID listed below:

Zoom Link

Meeting ID:  890 5944 9490

Passcode:  259195

Types of Cases 

The Clinic attorneys can assist you with your questions about appealing from a case that is civil in nature, not criminal.  The most common types of civil cases include family or domestic relations, guardianship, protective restraining orders issued pursuant to G. L. c. § 209 A and G. L. c. § 258 E, housing matters (e.g., eviction or summary process cases, reasonable accommodations, housing conditions), consumer matters (collections), and employment disputes (e.g., wage & hour, employment discrimination, and wrongful termination). 

Types of Assistance 

The Clinic attorneys may: assess whether a final judgment exists and calculate any filing deadlines; give general advice concerning appellate issues and procedure; advise the litigant in making the strategic decision to appeal or to continue seeking relief in the trial court; and provide and assist with self-help materials, other resources, forms, and motions. 

Types of Documents to Bring 

Please bring the following documents when meeting with the Clinic attorneys:

1. The judgment or decision you are seeking to appeal;
2. Any briefs or motions pertaining to the judgment or decision you are seeking to appeal;
3. The complaint and answer filed in your case;
4. Any papers you have filed to appeal your case; and
5. Any other court papers about the issue you would like to appeal.

If you do not have any or all the above document(s) available, please contact the Clerk's Office of the Trial Court where your case was filed and ask to get a copy of the missing document(s).

Deadlines for Filing an Appeal 

Please be aware that there are deadlines for filing an appeal, which vary depending on the nature of your case.  Please visit the following websites to learn more about these deadlines and the appeals process:

1. Self-Help for Civil Appeals
2. Appeals Court Help Center

In addition, you can call the Volunteer Lawyers Project's Eastern Region Legal Intake (ERLI) Helpline at [phone] to learn more about additional legal resources that may be available to you, or visit the Volunteer Lawyer Project website.