Massachusetts Legal Developments Blog

Emergency Court Closures Extended to May 4th

Today the SJC entered an order extending the general closure of trial courts until May 4th, with exceptions for "emergency matters," which appears to be limited to restraining orders.

For the public, the SJC also announced a help line.  I can't vouch for how helpful it will be, but here is the language from the order:

 

  • The Trial Court will announce today the April 2, 2020 launch of a Help Line for non-emergency matters that the public can call to ask general questions about their civil and criminal cases and help callers navigate the court system. The Help Line will be staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached by calling 833-91COURT.