Massachusetts Court Documents

When an action is commenced, a docket number is assigned and a corresponding docket sheet created. At the trial level, there may be pleadings and motions filed by parties, orders issued by the court, and a final adjudication, with or without a written opinion.

For appellate cases, additional documents are often available. Appellate records and briefs provide information about the proceedings in the lower court that led to the appellate court. The record provides information about the proceedings in the lower courts such as pleadings and memoranda by the parties. The record may also include a copy of the trial court's opinion. This is especially valuable when the trial court's opinions are not published in any print or electronic sources. The briefs submitted to the appellate courts contain the arguments by the parties and citations to the authorities relied upon in those arguments.

Once cases are argued before the appellate court, oral argument recordings or transcripts may be available.

For a detailed guide on Massachusetts court records, see:

  • A Research Guide to the Massachusetts Courts and their Records
    Print: Law Pappas KFM 2910 .M46 1987

Pleadings, Filings and Motions

Dockets

Supreme Judicial Court

Massachusetts Appeals Court

Briefs

Supreme Judicial Court

Massachusetts Appeals Court

Note that the Appeals Court ceased publication of the lower court record with decisions reported in volume 10 of the Massachusetts Appeals Court Reports.

Oral Arguments

Page maintained by Raquel Ortiz
Last updated: October 2009