The Supreme Judicial Court seeks comment on raising the statutory amount for Superior Court summary process cases to $50,000. G.L. c. 239, § 2, provides that summary process actions may be brought in the Superior Court "if a plaintiff seeks money damages and there is no reasonable likelihood that recovery by the plaintiff will be less than or equal to $25,000, or such other amount as is ordered from time to time by the supreme judicial court."
Under similar statutory authority set forth in G.L. c. 218, § 19 and G.L. c. 212, § 3, the SJC has increased the procedural amount for civil actions in Boston Municipal and District Courts from $25,000 to $50,000 as of January 1, 2020. The Court is considering exercising its statutory authority under G.L. c. 239, § 2 to be consistent with the January 1 increase in procedural amounts for civil actions in District and Boston Municipal Courts. This will serve to advance consistency and eliminate confusion.
The Court welcomes comments from the Bar on the proposed increase. Comments should be directed to Christine P. Burak, Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, One Pemberton Square, Boston, MA 02108 on or before February 21, 2020. Comments may also be emailed to christine.burak@sjc.state.ma.us. Comments received will be made available to the public.