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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 X · General Provisions

Rule 85. Title

Amended March 10, 2025 (current)

These rules may be known and cited as the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure. (Mass.R.Civ.P.) Rule History

Source: Mass. R. Civ. P. 85 (pdf p. 271)

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