[Text on screen that says "Housing Court"]
[Housing Court Chief Justice Diana Horan and Housing Court Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal seated in an office]
Chief Justice Diana Horan: Hello. My name is Diana Horan and I am the Chief Justice of the Housing Court.
Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal: Hello, I'm Jorge Ghazal, Deputy Court Administrator of the Housing Court.
Chief Justice Diana Horan: This video will provide an overview of court procedures and some of the resources available to you in our court. This video is offered for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.
Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal: If you have any procedural questions about your court case or about available resources in the Housing Court, please speak to someone from the Housing Court clerk's office or ask to speak with one of our housing specialists. Thank you.
[Video footage of interior of courthouse with text that says In House Mediations]
Chief Justice Diana Horan (Voice Over):You may be in court today for a first tier court event, also known as a mediation.
[Parties in case walk by while chatting.]
Mediation is a confidential meeting where you and the other parties in your case will sit and talk about the case with one of our housing specialists.
[Housing specialist discusses case with parties seated in a conference room]
Mediation in the housing court is free to the parties. The housing specialists work for the court, are trained in housing and housing-related law and are neutral, meaning they do not advocate for or represent any of the parties
Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal (Voice Over): In mediation, the housing specialist's role is to help the parties resolve their case and reach a mutual agreement that will become our court order.
[Parties exit a courtroom]
The mediation process with a housing specialist is beneficial for many reasons, including because it's a way for the parties, with the help of the neutral housing specialist, to control the outcome of their disagreement.
[Interior of a courtroom with a case taking place]
If the parties reach an agreement, they would not need to go to trial and have the outcome of their case be decided by a judge.
Chief Justice Diana Horan (Voice Over): If mediation is unsuccessful, and the parties are unable to come to a mutual agreement, the court will schedule a trial before a judge typically referred to as a Tier-2 Court Event.
[Welcome to the Housing Court poster with a Spanish version next to it with text that says "Free Interpreter Services"]
[Interpreter in court with a litigant]
If English is not your primary language or you struggle to communicate without assistance, you have the right to an interpreter. An interpreter can be provided to you by the court at no cost.
[Housing Court staff in the office]
If you need an interpreter, it is very important that you inform the clerk or court staff as soon as possible.
[Person filling out a form to request an interpreter]
When asking for an interpreter, please indicate your primary language. The court provides interpreter services for multiple languages, including American Sign Language or ASL.
[Exterior shot of a courthouse]
[A woman approaches the clerk's office and begins filling out an Interactive Text Reminder form with text that says "Interactive Text Reminders"]
Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal (Voice Over): Interactive Text Reminder, or ITR, allows a person to sign up to receive text reminders about their scheduled court events.
[The woman brings her completed form to the clerk's office and hands it to an employee behind the counter.]
Parties may sign up for the service by submitting an Interactive Text Reminder form, which is available online on mass.gov or in person at the Clerk's office. While this service is a courtesy only and does not replace official notice from the court, it could be a helpful tool to remind you of an upcoming court date.
[Woman waiting in a courthouse. A text message bubble appears that says "MASSCOURTS: Housing Court Hearing on 2024-10-10 at 9:00A.M. See mass.gov/guides/housing-court-resources for more resources"]
Signing up for the service is free, but data and messaging rates may apply.
[Woman walks into the clerk's office]
[Scrolling on a Housing Court division's mass.gov web page and clicking on a button that says "View daily list (PDF)" and is brought to a PDF of the daily list. Text on screen says, "Online Daily List"]
The Housing Court publishes an electronic version of the "daily list of cases" on each division's mass.gov web page. The electronic lists are updated frequently throughout the day.
[A woman walking into court with text on screen that says "Electronic Filing." She submits paperwork to a man at the Housing Court counter.]
The housing court offers electronic filing, also known as eFiling. This allows the parties to a case to electronically file with the court any pleadings, motions, and documents, rather than having to go in person to a clerk's office at a courthouse.
[Recording of navigating eFileMA]
Parties must register and create an account for eFiling, but it is free to do so. Once a case is created and has a case or docket number, it is free in most instances to file any subsequent documents into that eFiled case.
[Court employee navigating eFileMA. Employee files paperwork in a file room.]
To find out more about how you can eFile, please visit mass.gov.
[Interior of the Edward Brooke courthouse with on screen text that says "Free Legal Advice"]
Chief Justice Diana Horan (Voice Over): If you do not have a lawyer and need legal advice on the day of your court event, a lawyer from the Lawyer of the Day program may be available to assist you.
[A flyer advertising Lawyer For the Day. Layers shake hands and speak with litigants.]
The program consists of volunteer lawyers who may be available to provide free legal advice and help to unrepresented parties.
[A man opens a civil information sheet that came in an envelope]
Information about the Lawyer of the Day program can be found on our civil information sheets, which each division includes with your initial court event notice.
[An employee carries paperwork across an office. Litigants approach the Housing Court counter in a courthouse.]
If you do not have a copy, the information sheet can be found in each respective Clerk's Offices or on mass.gov.
[Parties on a case meet in a conference room with on screen text that says "Tenancy Preservation Program"]
The Tenancy Preservation Program or TPP, is available for eligible tenants such as those facing eviction for reasons related to a disability or substance use. TPP functions as a neutral party to the landlord and tenant. In consultation with the Housing Court, TPP works with the property owner and tenant to determine whether the disability can be reasonably accommodated and the tenancy preserved.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please ask a housing specialist or a member of your local clerk's office.
[A man reads a court notice with on screen text that says "Court Notices"]
Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal (Voice Over): Please pay close attention to any court notice sent to you; court notices most likely include important and time sensitive information.
[People walk by a courthouse. A man outside the court opens a notice on his phone.]
It is critical that you participate in all of your scheduled court events. If you don't participate or show up to court, you may lose your case, and the court may rule or decide against you.
[The man speaks to a judge in a courtroom.]
If there is an emergency and you can't make a scheduled court date, or if you are going to be late to court, you need to notify the Clerk's Office immediately.
[Exterior of Worcester Court Complex.]
[Housing Court Chief Justice Diana Horan and Housing Court Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal seated in an office]
Chief Justice Diana Horan: The Housing Court's doors are open to anyone seeking assistance with the court. As members of the court, we are committed to the efficient and effective administration of justice, as well as to the fair and impartial resolution of disputes. Public trust and confidence in the court is a cornerstone to the rule of law.
Deputy Court Administrator Jorge Ghazal: In addition, we in the court are committed not only to the protection of constitutional and statutory rights and liberties, but also to prompt and courteous service to the public. To that end, if you need any further information or help with your case, please don't hesitate to reach out to someone in our clerk's offices. You may also speak with one of our Housing Specialists.
Chief Justice Diana Horan: We hope that you have found the information in this video to be helpful. Thank you.