reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 218 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 41 - Special Justice; Powers and Duties

Section 41. A special justice of a district court shall at all times have and exercise all the powers and duties of a justice of such court, so far as to render decisions, make orders, and perform such other acts as he may deem necessary or proper in connection with or relating to matters which have been heard before him.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 42 - Adjournment When Justice Absent

Section 42. If no justice or special justice is present at the time and place appointed for holding a session of a district court, the sheriff or any of his deputies or the clerk may adjourn the court from day to day or from time to time, giving notice thereof as circumstances may require.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 42a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 42a - Chief Justice; Powers and Duties

Section 42A. The justice, as provided under section 1 of chapter 211B, as the chief justice for the district court department, in addition to his judicial powers and duties, shall, subject to the superintendence authority of the supreme judicial court as provided in section 3 of chapter 211, have the power, authority and responsibility of a chief justice as set forth in section 10 of chapter 211B.  In addition to the powers conferred in section 10 of said chapter 211B, said chief justice shall have the powers and duties prescribed in sections 43 to 43B, inclusive, and in such other provision of statute.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 42b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 42b - Deputy Court Administrator

Section 42B. The deputy court administrator for the district court department, as provided under section 1 of chapter 211B shall, subject to the superintendence authority of the supreme judicial court as provided in section 3 of chapter 211, have the power, authority and responsibility of a deputy court administrator as set forth in section 10 of chapter 211B.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 43 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 43 - Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure; Power to Make and Promulgate

Section 43. The chief justice shall from time to time make and promulgate uniform rules of practice and procedure, subject to the approval of the supreme judicial court, including rules for the preparation and submission of reports, the allowance of reports which a justice shall disallow as not conformable to the facts, or shall fail to allow by reason of physical or mental disability, death, resignation, retirement or removal and the reporting of cases reserved for report when a justice shall fail to report the same by reason of physical or mental disability, death, resignation, retirement or removal, the granting of new trials, and the practice and the manner of conducting business in cases which are not expressly provided for by law. Such rules shall not apply to the Boston municipal court department.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 43a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 43a - Uniform Practices; Forms; Superintendence of Record Keeping

Section 43A. The chief justice shall be authorized to require uniform practices, to prescribe forms of blanks and records, and to superintend the keeping of records by clerks. He may authorize any justice or special justice to hold a session of any division at another division or elsewhere, in order to promote the speedy dispatch of the court's business.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 43b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 43b - Official Forms; Powers of Chief Justice

Section 43B. In addition to the powers set forth in section forty-three A, the chief justice for the district court department shall prescribe official forms to be used in all divisions of said department. Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting the provisions of section one hundred and one A of chapter two hundred and seventy-six.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 43e (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 43e - Community Mediation Advisory Board; Coordinator

Section 43E. There shall be established a district court community mediation advisory board. The board shall be advisory to the chief justice of the district court department on matters pertaining to the utilization and role of community mediation in the district court department, including but not limited to the education and training of community mediators and the establishment of standards for persons and organizations engaged in community mediation in the district court department, and shall perform such other duties as the chief justice may request. Said board shall also advise the chief justice on the utilization of funds that may be appropriated for the purpose of supporting the use of community mediation in the district court department. Said board shall consist of five members to be appointed by the chief justice for such terms as he may establish. Members shall be eligible for reappointment. They shall be knowledgeable and experienced in the utilization of community mediation in the courts and shall serve without compensation.  Said chief justice shall appoint, subject to appropriation, a coordinator of community mediation, who shall serve at his pleasure and at a salary to be fixed by the chief justice of the district court department. Said coordinator shall perform such duties with regard to community mediation as the chief justice of the district court department shall determine.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 44 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 44 - Process; Formal Requisites; Territorial Jurisdiction

Section 44. Processes issuing from district courts shall be under the seal of the court, signed by the clerk or an assistant clerk or temporary clerk or temporary assistant clerk, and shall bear teste of the justice, or, in the Boston municipal court department, the chief justice, unless he is a party or unless his office is vacant, and in such cases they shall bear teste of the special justice who holds the senior commission or the senior associate justice. The process, civil or criminal, of a district court shall run throughout the commonwealth for service in any case or proceeding within its jurisdiction.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 47 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 47 - Clerks; Duty to Make Payments and to Account; Penalty

Section 47. Clerks of district courts, except Boston municipal court department, shall, on or before the tenth day of each month, account for and pay over to the state treasurer all money received by them from civil business, including fees for the blanks and copies, and to city and town treasurers all fines and forfeitures received by them payable to said cities or towns, and render to said treasurers a detailed account on oath of the same. Such payments shall include the balances due and payable at the end of the month last preceding the day of payment. They shall, at the end of a criminal case, pay the fees and expenses of officers entitled thereto from the funds in their hands payable to the city or town liable for the payment of such fees and expenses, if they have sufficient funds therefor, and all such fees and expenses not so paid shall be certified at the end of each month to the treasurer of the city or town liable therefor, who shall pay them to the parties entitled thereto. They shall, at the end of a criminal case or inquest, pay the fees of witnesses for the commonwealth and the fees and expenses of officers at inquests who are entitled thereto, from the funds furnished them by the state treasurer for that purpose, or out of any funds which may be paid into court and are payable to the commonwealth. They shall be allowed for the amounts so paid in their settlement with the state, city and town treasurers. If they do not have in their hands sufficient funds returnable to the commonwealth with which to pay such fees, as herein provided, that may make written requisition therefor upon the state treasurer, who shall pay to them not more than two hundred dollars each in any one month; but if it appears necessary to the commissioner of administration, he may approve in addition thereto a requisition for not more than two hundred dollars in any one month, and, upon receipt of a requisition so approved, the state treasurer may pay to them such amount as may be called for therein. They shall account therefor in their regular settlements with the state treasurer and shall be liable therefor on their official bonds. A clerk violating any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 48 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 48 - Sentences to Deer Island

Section 48. In cases in which municipal courts in Boston are authorized to sentence to imprisonment in the house of correction or county jail, or to commit thereto for nonpayment of fine, they may sentence to imprisonment in the house of correction at Deer island or commit thereto.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 49 - Clerks; Duty to Pay Certain Fees; Advances; Accounting

Section 49. In the municipal courts in Boston, except the central division of the Boston municipal court department, and in the East Boston division of the Boston municipal court department, witness fees and the fees and expenses of officers named in section fifty of chapter two hundred and sixty-two and of all other persons shall, at the end of a criminal case or inquest in which such fees or expenses accrue, be paid by the clerks to the persons entitled thereto. If they do not have sufficient funds in their hands with which to make such payments, they may make written requisition upon the chief justice and thereupon the state treasurer shall advance to them not more than one hundred dollars each in any one month, for which they shall, before the tenth day of each month, account to the commonwealth and for which they shall be liable on their official bonds.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 50 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 50 - Justices; Number; Vacation and Sick Leave; Rule Making Power

Section 50. The Boston municipal court department established under section one of chapter two hundred and eleven B shall consist of 30 associate justices of the trial court appointed to said department. They shall devote their entire time during ordinary business hours to their duties and shall not, directly or indirectly, engage in the practice of law. Said justices shall each be entitled to thirty days vacation and thirty days sick leave in each calendar year. Vacation leave and sick leave not used in any such year may be accumulated, provided that the number of vacation days so accumulated shall not exceed sixty and the total amount of sick leave shall not exceed one hundred and eighty days.  The chief justice of the department, subject to the approval of the supreme judicial court and the chief justice of the trial court, may make, from time to time, rules for regulating the practice and conducting the business therein in all cases not expressly provided for by law.  Unless the context refers only to a district court or a juvenile court, or some other clearly contrary intent, whenever the words ''municipal court of the city of Boston'', ''municipal court'', ''district court'' or ''court'' are used in this chapter, they shall refer to the Boston municipal court department. And unless the context includes, or refers only to, a person appointed to a district court or to the Boston juvenile court, the words ''justice'' or ''associate justice'' shall mean an associate justice of the trial court appointed to the Boston municipal court department; and the words ''clerk'' or ''clerk of court'' shall mean a clerk of said department; and the words ''assistant clerk'', ''deputy assistant clerk'', ''temporary clerk'' or ''temporary assistant clerk'' shall mean, respectively, an assistant clerk, deputy assistant clerk, temporary clerk or temporary assistant clerk of said department.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 51a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 51a - Chief Justice of the Boston Municipal Court Department; Powers and Duties

Section 51A. The justice provided for under section 1 of chapter 211B as the chief justice of the Boston municipal court department, in addition to his judicial powers and duties, shall, subject to the superintendence authority of the supreme judicial court as provided in section 3 of chapter 211, have the powers, authority and responsibilities of a chief justice as set forth in section 10 of chapter 211B.  The deputy court administrator of the Boston municipal court department as provided for under section 1 of chapter 211B shall, subject to the superintendence authority of the supreme judicial court as provided in section 3 of chapter 211, have the powers, authority and responsibilities of a deputy court administrator as set forth in section 10 of chapter 211B; provided, however, that the clerk shall have responsibility for the internal administration of his office, including the selection, appointment, and management of personnel, staff services and recordkeeping.  The chief justice of the Boston municipal court department shall have the power to appoint the first justice of each of the various divisions within the Boston municipal court department, subject to the approval of the chief justice of the trial court, and to define his duties; provided, however, that appropriate consideration shall be given to seniority, length of service at that particular division, and managerial ability. Each first justice so appointed shall serve as the first justice of that court for a 5 year term and shall be eligible to be reappointed for additional 5–year terms at that particular court. Any first justice may be removed from his position as first justice by the chief justice of the Boston municipal court department; provided, however, that any such removal is not for arbitrary or capricious reasons.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 52 - Justices and Special Justices; Assignment; Additional Sessions; Compensation, Etc.

Section 52. In addition to the powers conferred in section ten of chapter two hundred and eleven B, the chief justice referred to in section fifty-one A may from time to time make assignments for the attendance of a justice at the several times and places appointed for holding court. Said chief justice, or, in case of his death, illness, absence or incapacity, the senior justice in the department, if in his opinion the public business so requires, may provide for additional sessions in the department. A special justice appointed in the district court department, with the assent of the chief justice for that department, may hold any such additional session at the request of the chief justice or senior justice as aforesaid. During the continuance of such request a special justice shall have and exercise all the powers and duties of a justice. The fact of holding court and the fact which gave him jurisdiction shall be entered upon the general records of the court, but need not be stated in the record of any case heard by him. The compensation of said justice shall be at the rate by the day of the salary of an associate justice of the municipal court of the city of Boston; and, except when holding an additional session as above provided, the compensation for service in excess of the number of days of vacation leave he has accumulated which may be rendered to or for any one justice shall be deducted from the salary of such justice; provided, however, that if such justice is absent due to his illness or physical disability for a period not exceeding the number of days of sick leave he has accumulated, no such deduction shall be made.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 52a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 52a - Clerks; Criminal and Civil Business

Section 52A. The central division of the Boston municipal court department shall have one clerk for both criminal and civil business. The position of clerk for civil business shall be abolished when said position becomes vacant and the duties of such clerk shall be assumed by the clerk for criminal business who shall be hereinafter the one clerk for the said central division of the Boston municipal court department. The first assistant clerk for criminal business shall hereinafter serve as the first assistant clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department. The person currently serving as acting clerk for civil business shall hereinafter serve as the second assistant clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department and shall be paid at the same rate of compensation that he now receives. Any reference in any general or special law to a clerk of the Boston municipal court for civil business shall be construed to refer to the one clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department as proscribed herein.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 53 - Clerks and Assistant Clerks

Section 53. In the central division of the Boston municipal court department, there shall be one clerk and the same number of assistant clerks of said court as were authorized in statute on January first, two thousand three. The assistant clerks shall be appointed by the clerk, subject to the approval of the court administrator with respect to compliance with the personnel standards promulgated under section eight of chapter two hundred and eleven B, and the clerk shall be responsible for the doings of his assistants, and may remove them at his pleasure. The salary of the clerk shall be 81.57 per cent of the salary of the chief justice of the department, and shall be paid, subject to appropriation, by the commonwealth. The salaries of the assistant clerks shall be seventy-seven per cent of the salary of the clerk, and shall be paid, subject to appropriation, by the commonwealth.  The clerk and assistant clerks shall devote their entire time during ordinary business hours to their respective duties and shall not, directly or indirectly, engage in the practice of law.  Each assistant clerk of said court appointed to such position prior to January first, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven and serving continuously thereafter, shall be entitled to thirty days vacation and thirty days sick leave in each calendar year. Each such assistant clerk may accumulate vacation leave and sick leave not used in any such year; provided, however, that the number of vacation days so accumulated shall not exceed sixty and the total amount of sick leave so accumulated shall not exceed one hundred and eighty days; and provided, further, that no additional such days shall be accumulated on or after said January first except in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the court administrator pursuant to section eight of chapter two hundred and eleven B. All other clerks and assistant clerks of said court shall be entitled to vacation leave and sick leave in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the court administrator pursuant to said section eight.  Assistant clerks appointed under authority of this paragraph who have held said appointment for three consecutive years shall hold office during good behavior, but subject to applicable retirement laws, and may be removed by the clerk for cause shown, subject to the procedures authorized by section eight of chapter two hundred and eleven B.  The clerk may designate such employees in his office as in his judgment may be necessary for the convenience of the public, as deputy assistant clerks of said court who shall have the same authority to administer oaths as the assistant clerks of said court.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 53a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 53a - Temporary Assistant Clerks

Section 53A. In case of the absence, death or removal of a salaried assistant clerk of the central division of the Boston municipal court department, the clerk of said court may, subject to the approval of the chief justice, appoint a temporary assistant clerk, to act until such assistant clerk resumes his duties or until the vacancy is filled.
MA Gen L ch 218 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 218 - District Courts|Section 54 - Civil Jurisdiction

Section 54. In addition to the jurisdiction otherwise conferred and except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the central division of the Boston municipal court department shall have jurisdiction of civil actions in which money damages are sought pursuant to sections 19 and 21 and of actions brought under chapter two hundred and forty-seven if one or more of the defendants lives or has his usual place of business in Suffolk County, excluding Chelsea and Revere, or, if in connection with the commencement of such an action the approval of trustee process is sought, one of the alleged trustees lives or has a usual place of business in Suffolk County, excluding Chelsea and Revere, or, in actions brought under chapter two hundred and twenty-seven, if an attachment of property or personal service of the complaint is made in said county.