News and Noteworthy

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  SCHEDULED SERVER MAINTENANCE - Friday, August 24th to Saturday, August 25th

  The Social Law Library has scheduled maintenance on Friday, August 24th between 9:00 PM and Saturday, August 25th 9:00 AM. During this time, all access to the Social Law Library web site located at http://www.socialaw.com will be inaccessible. This will restrict access to the Social Law Library research portal and online catalog. The Social Law Library apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The maintenance being performed is crucial to Library systems and will allow us to continue providing you with the very best services we can offer. Read Full Article
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  High School Students from Boston, Worcester, Springfield Graduate from Supreme Judicial Court's Judicial Youth Corps Program

  High school students from Boston, Worcester and Springfield who participated in the Supreme Judicial Court's Judicial Youth Corps (JYC) program this summer today finished up the end of the intensive internship working within the court system with a mock trial in Suffolk Superior Court and a graduation ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston. Read Full Article
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  Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission Announces Director

  The Supreme Judicial Court today announced that the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission has named Attorney Carolyn Goodwin as its Director, effective August 5, 2019. Read Full Article
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  SJC Increases Procedural Amount for Civil Actions in District Court and Boston Municipal Court

  The Supreme Judicial Court today announced that it will increase the procedural amount for civil actions in Boston Municipal and District Courts from $25,000 to $50,000, effective on January 1, 2020, and increase the minimum procedural amount required for cases filed in the Superior Court to $50,000. The procedural amount, last set in 1986, refers to the amount of damages sought by a plaintiff in a civil money damage action which, if exceeded in the District and Boston Municipal Courts or is not met in the Superior Court, may be the basis for dismissal. Read Full Article
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  Supreme Judicial Court Steering Committee on Lawyer Well-Being Releases Report

  The Supreme Judicial Court today announced that the Steering Committee on Lawyer Well-Being has submitted its final report to the Justices. The Court established the Steering Committee in September 2018 to explore and make recommendations regarding the state of lawyer well-being in the Commonwealth, following the publication in August 2017 of the Report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, which found, based on nationwide surveys of practicing lawyers, judges, and law students, that many “are struggling with serious physical and mental health issues that are exacerbated, if not caused, by the way that law is practiced today.” Read Full Article