The Massachusetts Superior Court (also known as the Superior Court Department of the Trial Court) is a

trial court A trial court or court of first instance is a court having original jurisdiction, in which trials take place. Appeals from the decisions of trial courts are usually heard by higher courts with the power of appellate review (appellate courts). ...

department in Massachusetts. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction in

civil actions A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. T ...

over $50,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions involving labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, and has exclusive authority to convene

medical malpractice Medical malpractice is a legal cause of action that occurs when a medical or health care professional, through a negligent act or omission, deviates from standards in their profession, thereby causing injury or death to a patient. The negligen ...

tribunals. The Business Litigation Sessions (BLS) of the Superior Court is a specialized

business court Business courts, sometimes referred to as commercial courts, are specialized courts for legal cases involving commercial law, internal business disputes, and other matters affecting businesses. In the US, they are trial courts that primarily or ...

docket located in Suffolk County (Boston). The BLS has jurisdiction over complex business and commercial disputes. The original Business Litigation Session solely heard cases arising in Suffolk County, beginning in 2000, but over time the BLS became a regional program and finally a statewide business court. The BLS was authorized and implemented by order of Superior Court Chief Justice Suzanne DelVecchio in 1999, beginning operations in 2000, with the Honorable Allan van Gestel as its first judge, who was integral to the BLS's establishment and viability. Justice DelVecchio appointed a Business Litigation Resource Committee to provide input and feedback on the new program in its early years. The late Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice

Ralph Gants Ralph D. Gants (September 29, 1954September 14, 2020) was an American attorney and jurist who served as the chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He was sworn in on July 28, 2014. Gants had previously served as an Assistant U ...

had been a BLS judge earlier in his career, as had retired Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Margot Botsford. The Court has exclusive original jurisdiction in

first degree murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...

cases and original jurisdiction for all other crimes. It has jurisdiction over all

felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "''félonie''") to describe an offense that r ...

matters, although it shares jurisdiction over crimes where other Trial Court Departments have concurrent jurisdiction. Finally, the Superior Court has appellate jurisdiction over certain administrative proceedings.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Superior Court, Massachusetts Superior Court, Massachusetts

Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...

Government of Massachusetts

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...