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The Massachusetts Court Process

Learn about how court processes in the different court departments work.

The Massachusetts Court System consists of the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), the Appeals Court, the Executive Office of the Trial Court, the 7 Trial Court departments, the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS), and the Office of Jury Commissioner (OJC). The Governor, with the consent of the elected Governor's Council, appoints all Massachusetts judges. Judges can stay in office until the mandatory retirement age of 70.

About the court process

The court trial process  The court appellate process 

About the Supreme Judicial Court

About the Supreme Judicial Court  About the court archives 

About the Appeals Court

General information about the Appeals Court  Appeals Court history 

About the court system

Law about state courts 
Open PDF file, 81.84 KB, for Court System Organization Chart (PDF 81.84 KB)
Court contact information 

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