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Somerville Domestic Violence Law Firm
A domestic-violence allegation in Somerville usually starts two matters at once: a criminal charge in the District Court and a civil abuse-prevention petition under M.G.L. c. 209A, where an order can issue the same day and a contested hearing follows within ten days (c. 209A, sec. 4).
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The short answer for Somerville
A Massachusetts domestic-violence allegation typically triggers two parallel matters: a criminal charge in the District Court and a civil abuse-prevention petition in either the District Court or the Probate and Family Court. Common criminal charges include assault and battery on a family or household member under M.G.L. c. 265 sec. 13M, strangulation or suffocation under c. 265 sec. 15D, and violation of an abuse-prevention order under c. 209A sec. 7. The civil track proceeds under the abuse-prevention act, M.G.L. c. 209A: an ex parte order may issue the same day, with a contested 10-day return hearing under c. 209A sec. 4 to determine whether a one-year order will issue. Harassment-prevention orders, which apply outside family or household contexts, proceed under M.G.L. c. 258E with a similar two-step structure. The intake call with Jim Glaser Law captures the criminal arraignment date, the 209A or 258E return-hearing date, conditions of release, no-contact orders, and any related Probate and Family Court parenting orders. The firm either handles the matter or connects the client with a Massachusetts criminal-defense partner attorney at no extra cost to the client. Domestic-violence matters are billed on a fixed-fee or hourly basis, addressed in the written fee agreement.
The full Massachusetts rules, statutes and typical timeline are on the domestic violence page; this page covers what is specific to Somerville.
Courts that serve Somerville for domestic violence matters
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, Somerville is in the judicial district of the District Court of Somerville, which also covers Medford. Somerville is in Middlesex County.
| Court | What it hears | District or address |
|---|---|---|
| District Court of Somerville | Criminal charges, and 209A and 258E petition return hearings | Somerville and Medford |
| Middlesex Superior Court | Felony cases bound over after a probable-cause hearing | 200 Trade Center, Woburn, MA 01801 |
| Middlesex Probate and Family Court | Parenting orders, and 209A petitions between spouses or co-parents | 208 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141 |
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 Somerville that is the District Court of Somerville.
- 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. The District Court of Somerville serves Somerville and Medford.
- 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).
209A abuse-prevention order vs. 258E harassment-prevention order
| 209A order | 258E order | |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship required | Family or household member | None required |
| Same-day ex parte order available | Yes | Yes |
| Return hearing | Within 10 court business days, under c. 209A, sec. 4 | A similar two-step structure |
Talk to the firm about your domestic violence 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.
Common questions from Somerville
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Which District Court covers Somerville?
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, Somerville is in the judicial district of the District Court of Somerville, which also covers Medford.
Information on this page is published as 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.