Massachusetts law allows a landlord to file in District Court as well as Housing Court. This is because Housing Court is a relatively “new” court that was initiated in the 1970s and 80s. The result was that certain areas, like the upper and lower Cape, were not covered by Housing Court jurisdiction, leaving the District Courts with concurrent jurisdiction. This left many tenants at a disadvantage in those areas, being unable to access the specifically designed structure of the Housing Court.
In 2017, the Chief Justice of the Housing Court secured legislation that expanded Housing Court jurisdiction to all areas in the Commonwealth. This permits a tenant to take any housing case filed in District Court and remove it to Housing Court. M.G.L. c. 185 s.3 and s.20.
There are many reasons for a tenant to remove the case to Housing Court, including the specific resources available to both parties, such as Housing Specialists.
-Michael J. Shivick, Esq.
Attorney Shivick has successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases against Massachusetts landlords over the last 10 years, and has a proven track record of collecting money judgments against small and large landlords in Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Norfolk, Middlesex, Barnstable, Hampshire, Berkshire, Franklin, and Worcester Counties.
No nonsense. No frills. Demonstrated Results.