Home / Criminal Defense / Boston
Boston, MA Criminal Defense Attorney
If you were charged with a crime in Boston, misdemeanors and most felonies are heard in the District Court and serious felonies and indictments in the Superior Court, and the first call records the charging document, the court date, your prior record and any release conditions.
Last updated
What Boston residents should know about criminal defense
Massachusetts criminal matters proceed through the District Court for misdemeanors and most felonies and through the Superior Court for serious felonies and indictments. The intake call with Jim Glaser Law captures the charging document, court date, prior record, and conditions of release. The firm either handles the matter or connects the client with a Massachusetts criminal-defense partner attorney at no extra cost to the client. The criminal-defense partner network handles all common charge types including OUI, drug offenses, assault and battery, all forms of domestic violence (assault and battery on a family or household member under c. 265 sec. 13M, restraining-order violations under c. 209A sec. 7, restraining-order hearings under c. 209A sec. 3, and harassment-prevention-order hearings under c. 258E), larceny, and firearm offenses. Criminal-defense matters are billed on a fixed-fee or hourly basis depending on charge type and venue, addressed in the written fee agreement.
The full Massachusetts rules, statutes and typical timeline are on the criminal defense page; this page covers what is specific to Boston.
Courts that serve Boston for criminal defense matters
Boston is served by the Boston Municipal Court, which M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1 divides into eight divisions (Brighton, Central, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston and West Roxbury), each covering a set of Boston wards, so which division hears a case depends on the neighborhood. Boston is in Suffolk County.
| Court | What it hears | District or address |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Municipal Court | Arraignment on most criminal charges | divisions by Boston neighborhood |
| Suffolk County Superior Court | Felony cases bound over after a probable-cause hearing | 3 Pemberton Square, Boston, MA 02108 |
First steps
- Read the court named on your paperwork. A District Court complaint is brought in the division whose judicial district covers the place of the alleged offense (M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 26), so for an offense in Boston that is the Boston Municipal Court division for that neighborhood.
- Keep every document the police or the court gave you, including any notice from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
- Call (617) JIM-WINS before you file or appear, so the deadline and the right court are checked against your facts.
Key terms
- Judicial district
- The towns one District Court division serves, as listed in M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1. For Boston, the divisions follow the city wards.
- Venue
- The county or district where a case may be filed. Massachusetts sets it by where the parties live or work (M.G.L. c. 223, secs. 1 and 2).
District Court vs. Superior Court
| District Court | Superior Court | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical charges | Misdemeanors and most felonies | Serious felonies and indictments |
| First appearance | Arraignment | Arraignment |
| Fee structure | Fixed-fee or hourly | Fixed-fee or hourly |
Talk to the firm about your criminal defense matter
Call us 24/7 for a free case review. Or send us your details and we will reach out to you within one business day.
What do Boston residents most often ask?
-
Which District Court covers Boston?
Boston is served by the Boston Municipal Court, which M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1 divides into eight divisions (Brighton, Central, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston and West Roxbury), each covering a set of Boston wards, so which division hears a case depends on the neighborhood.
Related Massachusetts legal answers
- Is OUI a Felony in Massachusetts?
- What Is the Legal Blood Alcohol Limit in Massachusetts?
- What Are the Shoplifting Laws in Massachusetts?
Browse every question in the Massachusetts legal answers library.
This sub-entry constitutes legal information, not legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Attorney advertising under Mass. R. Prof. C. 7.1 to 7.5. Responsible attorney: Jim Glaser, Massachusetts.