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← Massachusetts Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure

Part I — Scope of Rules — One Form of Action

1 Scope of Rules
2 One Form of Action

Part II — Commencement of Action; Service of Process

3 Commencement of Action
4 Process D
4.1 Attachment D
4.2 Trustee Process D
4.3 Arrest: Supplementary Process: Ne Exeat
5 Service and Filing of Pleadings and Other Papers D
6 Time D

Part III — Pleadings and Motions

7 Pleadings Allowed: Form of Motions
8 General Rules of Pleading
8.1 Special Requirements for Certain Consumer Debts D
9 Pleading Special Matters
10 Form of Pleadings
11 Appearances and Pleadings
12 Defenses and Objections - When and How Presented - By D
13 Counterclaim and Cross-Claim
14 Third-Party Practice D
15 Amended and Supplemental Pleadings D
16 Pre-Trial Procedure: Formulating Issues
17 Parties Plaintiff and Defendant: Capacity
18 Joinder of Claims and Remedies
19 Joinder of Persons Needed for Just Adjudication
20 Permissive Joinder of Parties
21 Misjoinder and Non-Joinder of Parties
22 Interpleader
23 Class Actions D
23.1 Derivative Actions by Shareholders
23.2 Actions Relating to Unincorporated Associations
24 Intervention
25 Substitution of Parties D

Part V — Depositions and Discovery

26 General Provisions Governing Discovery D
27 Depositions Before Action or Pending Appeal D
28 Persons Before Whom Depositions May Be Taken
29 Stipulations Regarding Discovery Procedure
30 Depositions Upon Oral Examination D
31 Depositions of Witnesses Upon Written Questions D
32 Use of Depositions in Court Proceedings D
33 Interrogatories to Parties D
34 Producing Documents, Electronically Stored Information, D
35 Physical and Mental Examination of Persons
36 Requests for Admission D
37 Failure to Make Discovery: Sanctions

Part VI — Trials

38 Jury Trial of Right D
39 Trial by Jury or by the Court
40 Assignment of Cases for Trial: Continuances
41 Dismissal of Actions D
42 Consolidation: Separate Trials
43 Evidence
44 Proof of Official Records
44.1 Determination of Foreign Law
45 Subpoena D
46 Exceptions Unnecessary
47 Jurors
48 Number of Jurors -- Majority Verdict
49 Special Verdicts and Interrogatories
50 Motion for a Directed Verdict and for Judgment D
51 Argument: Instructions to Jury
52 Findings by the Court D
53 Masters D

Part VII — Judgment

54 Judgments: Costs D
55 Default D
55.1 Special Requirements for Defaults and Default Judgments D
56 Summary Judgment D
57 Declaratory Judgment
58 Entry of Judgment
59 New Trials: Amendment of Judgments D
60 Relief from Judgment or Order D
61 Harmless Error
62 Stay of Proceedings to Enforce a Judgment D
63 Unavailability of a Judge; Receipt of Verdict

Part VIII — Provisional and Final Remedies

64 Report of Case
65 Injunctions D
65.1 Security: Proceedings Against Sureties
65.2 Redelivery of Goods or Chattels
65.3 Proceedings for Civil Contempt D
66 Receivers D
67 Deposit in Court
68 Offer of Judgment D
69 Execution
70 Judgment for Specific Acts: Vesting Title
71 Process in Behalf of and Against Persons Not Parties
72 Probate Accounts [Repealed]

Part IX — Courts and Clerks

77 Courts and Clerks
78 Motion Day
79 Books and Records Kept by the Clerk and Entries Therein
80 Stenographic Report or Transcript

Part X — General Provisions

81 Applicability of Rules D
82 Jurisdiction and Venue Unaffected
83 Supplemental Rules
84 Forms [Repealed]
85 Title

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Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure

Part I · Scope of Rules — One Form of Action

Rule 2. One Form of Action

Amended March 10, 2025 (current)

There shall be one form of action to be known as "civil action". Rule History

Source: Mass. R. Civ. P. 2 (pdf p. 5)

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