Section 2A. Each district court shall have civil jurisdiction of actions local or transitory begun in such court which should have been brought in some other district court, to the extent that the court in which the action is begun may try and dispose of the case if the question of venue is waived or, if not waived, the court may, on motion of any party, order the action, with all papers, whether in physical or electronic form, relating thereto, to be transferred for trial or disposition to any other district court in which the action might have been commenced. The defendant in said action shall be entitled to costs and such reasonable attorney’s fees as may be allowed by the court. Said action shall thereupon be entered and prosecuted in such court as if it had been originally commenced therein, and all prior proceedings otherwise regularly taken shall thereafter be valid. An additional entry fee for entry in the court to which the case is transferred shall be paid to the clerk of the transmitting court for transfer with the papers.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 218 sec. 2A

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.