§ 1 Flags; display in courts
§ 2 General powers
§ 3 Conservators of peace; powers of justices
§ 4 First day of sitting; designation
§ 5 Change of time and place of court; notice
§ 6 Business days; exceptions
§ 7 Process servers
§ 8 Purchase of claims by attorney and court officers, etc., prohibited; penalty
§ 9 Criers
§ 10 Judge, etc.; interest of town in suit or proceeding
§ 11 United States judicial officer; ineligibility for certain offices
§ 12 Referee in bankruptcy; ineligibility for certain offices
§ 13 Exclusion of minors as spectators from court room
§ 13A Contempt cases; rights of defendant
§ 13B Contempt cases; demand for retirement of justice sitting
§ 14 Commitment for contempt; service of process
§ 14A Time within which certain decisions to be rendered
§ 15 Jurisdiction
§ 18 Declarations of intention

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws > Chapter 220 - Courts and Naturalization

  • Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • 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.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.