Invitations to Comment
The court invites comments on the following new rules or proposed changes to existing rules. Invitations to comment that have expired are removed from the list.
Proposed Changes to the Standards and Procedures of the Office of Court Interpreter Services
Comments due by: November 30, 2018
Proposed Amendments to SJC Rule 3:16: Practicing with Professionalism Course for New Lawyers
Comments due by: November 28, 2018
Proposed Amendments to SJC Rules 4:04 - 4:06 and Rules 4:08 and 4:09 and to the Rules of the Clients Security Board
Comments due by: November 30, 2018
Proposed Amendments to SJC Rule 4:01 and 4:02 and the Rules of the Board of Bar Overseers
Comments due by: December 14, 2018
Rule Changes
The following are recent notices of rule changes and the date when each rule change goes into effect. Rule changes are removed from this list after the effective date has passed. Please refer to the Court's online listing of Rules of Court and Standing Orders to view updated rules and dates when rules were amended.
- Boston Municipal Court Department Standing Order 1-18: Voir dire protocol
Effective: November 20, 2018 - Amendments to Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:15
Effective: January 1, 2019 - Amendments to Mass. Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules 8.1 and 55.1
Effective: January 1, 2019 - Amendments to the Mass. Rules of Appellate Procedure
Effective: March 1, 2019
A listing of Rules of Court and Standing Orders are available on the court's website. Please note that not all Massachusetts Rules of Court are available online. Efforts have been taken to ensure accuracy in all rules on the court's website, but if there are discrepancies between the electronic versions of the rules found on the website and the official print versions that appear in a volume such as Massachusetts Reports, the print version should be considered authoritative.