Boston Small Claims Court: Where and How to File

Which court

Boston Municipal Court has 8 divisions: Brighton, Central, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston and West Roxbury. File where at least one plaintiff or defendant lives, works or has a business, or where the rental property is. Landlord-tenant claims can also go to Housing Court.

Where and how to file

Limit	$7,000
Court	Boston Municipal Court (Small Claims)
Address	24 New Chardon Street, Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, Boston, MA 02114
Phone	617-788-8600
Hours	Central Division: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
File online	Guide and File, https://massachusetts.tylertech.cloud/SRL/SRL
Fees	$40 for claims of $500 or less, $50 for $501 to $2,000, $100 for $2,001 to $5,000, and $150 for $5,001 to $7,000 or for larger car-accident property damage claims. E-filing adds $7.
Timing	State small claims standards say trials should be set about 4 to 8 weeks after filing. The standards date from 2002, so treat that as a guide.
Serving papers	The court mails the notice after you file, and no separate service fee is listed. The case can't go forward if the notice comes back undelivered, so the defendant's address matters.

Boston Municipal Court (Small Claims) small claims page

Good to know here

The $7,000 cap doesn't apply to property damage from a car accident. In consumer protection and some landlord-tenant cases, only the base claim must be within $7,000.
If you file for more than the limit, bringing it as a small claim gives up the excess.
If you lose as the plaintiff, you can appeal only in very limited situations, while defendants can always appeal. You also give up a jury trial by filing here.
Negligence claims against the state or a city under the Tort Claims Act can't be small claims. They go to Superior Court.
If you win and collect in full, you must tell the court in writing within 10 days.

Hours, fees and locations change. Call the court or check its site before you go.

Boston Small Claims Court

Where and how to file

Good to know here

Sources

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