Resources

Standards, Laws, and Further Readings

Laws regarding small claims court

Massachusetts laws, rules and fees, forms, and recommended sources.


Small claims standards

Court structure, filing and scheduling a case, notice of trial, judgement and payment orders, appeals, and enforcement of judgements.


Chapter 93A

Law covering unfair or deceptive acts or practices by businesses.


Writing a Demand Letter

This document has an example demand letter, which is generally not required, but can be useful to organize your case.

Filing a Small Claim

Mass.gov Courthouse Locator

There are over 100 Massachusetts courthouses that serve the cities and towns within the Commonwealth. To help you find the courthouses that serve your area, use the Courthouse Locator.


Small claims standards

General forms and instructions, such as Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial, Small Claims Answer, Small Claims Counterclaim, and Agreement for Judgement and for Payment Order.

Sheriffs and Constables

Massachusetts Bay Constable Association

Use this tool to locate constables in Massachusetts by city, county, or offered services.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

Harvard Mediation Program

The Harvard Mediation Program is run by the Harvard Law School and provides trained mediators for disputes.


List of Massachusetts Court-Connected Mediation and Arbitration Services

This PDF contains a directory of court-connected mediation programs by county.


Massachusetts Guide to Alternative Dispute Resolution

The Massachusetts government provides a PDF guide on how to approach alternative dispute resolution.

Additional Legal Resources

Boston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service

The BBA Lawyer Referral Service makes referrals to lawyers or other resources that specialize in the area of law related to your specific situation.


Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service

The Massachusetts Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service is one of the largest legal referral services in the nation. If you are buying/selling a home, starting a business, going through a divorce or need a will, you may need to hire the right attorney to answer your questions and help resolve your legal problems.


MassLegalHelp

An online resource with clear instructions and many sample forms, letters, and documents.


Greater Boston Legal Services

Free noncriminal assistance to low-income residents in the greater Boston area. From their website: "GBLS provides free civil (non-criminal) legal assistance to low-income people in Boston and thirty-one additional cities and towns. The help we offer ranges from legal advice to full case representation, depending on client need. Our staff of attorneys and paralegals is divided into areas of legal expertise to best address the problems faced by people living in poverty. A national leader in poverty law, GBLS also undertakes representation and legal advocacy to address the root causes of poverty."


Harvard Legal Aid Bureau

HLAB, a clinic run by Harvard Law School students, provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals in the Greater Boston area.

Filing a Complaint

Against a Judge

The Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct investigates complaints against state court judges.