The Massachusetts Superior Court Civil Practice Manual is a cornerstone of the civil litigation collection. It has been cited by judges, referenced by hundreds of lawyers, and relied upon for solid and practical guidance through the stages of a case, from pre-trial to post-trial procedures. It offers a broad-based, intensive and practical grounding in the topics vital to trial practice in the Superior Court. You will benefit from the expertise of dozens of lawyers and judges, on topics such as developing top-notch trial advocacy techniques, navigating Rule 9 and its many details, perfecting discovery through your motions practice, presenting and excluding evidence at trial, and understanding the many requirements of dispositive motions. Ethics commentary, judicial insight, ADR perspectives are featured. Let the experts who authored and edited this manual help you to increase your effectiveness in Superior Court practice.
Table of Contents
Chapter 01 - Practicing in the Superior CourtMichael B. Keating, Esq.,
Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow, PC
Chapter 02 - Trial Advocacy
Daniel K. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP
Gail Kleven Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP
Richard M. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP
Richard S. Loftus, Jr., Esq.,
Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP
Chapter 03 - Drafting Pleadings
Sarah-Elizabeth H. Cloutier, Esq.,
Kotin, Crabtree & Strong LLP
Anne L. Josephson, Esq.,
Kotin, Crabtree & Strong LLP
Exhibit 3A - Civil Action Cover Sheet
Exhibit 3B - Summons to Defendant
Exhibit 3C - Notice of Appearance with Certificate of Service
Exhibit 3D - Service of Summons by Publication
Exhibit 3E - Sample Complaint
Chapter 04 - Obtaining Pretrial Security
Peter H. Sutton, Esq.,
Riemer & Braunstein LLP
Chapter 05 - Injunctive Relief
Brandon F. White, Esq.,
Foley Hoag LLP
Exhibit 3F - Sample Answer to Verified Complaint
Exhibit 5A - Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order
Exhibit 5B - Motion for Preliminary Injunction
Exhibit 5C - Verified Complaint
Exhibit 5D - Motion for Appointment of a Special Process Server
Exhibit 5E - Motion for a Short Order of Notice
Exhibit 5F - Standstill Agreement
Exhibit 5G - Confidentiality Stipulation
Chapter 06 - Dispositive Motions
Nelson G. Apjohn, Esq.,
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
Melanie Woodward, Esq.,
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
Exhibit 6A - Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Certain Counts of Plaintiff’s Complaint
Exhibit 6B - Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Certain Counts of Plaintiff’s Complaint
Exhibit 6C - Defendant’s Notice of Motion to Dismiss
Exhibit 6D - Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment
Exhibit 6E - Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment
Exhibit 6F - Defendant’s Statement of Material Facts as to Which There Is No Genuine Issue to Be Tried Pursuant to Superior Court Rule 9A(b)(5)
Exhibit 6G - Defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
Exhibit 6H - Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
Exhibit 6I - Special Motion to Dismiss (Anti-SLAPP Statute)
Chapter 07 - Other Rule 9A Motions
Barbara Hayes Buell, Esq.,
Smith Duggan Cornell & Gollub, LLP
Exhibit 7A - Defendants’ Joint Certificate of Compliance Pursuant to Superior Court Rule 9C
Exhibit 7B - Defendant’s Assented to Motion for Entry of Separate and Final Judgment
Exhibit 7C - Defendant’s Motion for Entry of Separate and Final Judgment Pursuant to Mass. R. Civ. P. 54(b) (Medical Malpractice Case)
Exhibit 7D - Defendants’ Joint Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to Mass. R. Civ. P. 33(a) and 54(b) Due to Failure to Answer Discovery Requests
Exhibit 7E - Plaintiff’s Motion to Vacate Judgment
Exhibit 7F - Plaintiff’s Notice of Motion Pursuant to Superior Court Rule 9E
Exhibit 7G - Petition for Approval of Third-Party Settlement
Exhibit 7H - Petition for Settlement Approval
Exhibit 7I - Motion and Supporting Statement of Reasons to Sever
Exhibit 7J - Motion and Statement of Reasons to Bifurcate
Exhibit 7K - Motion to Consolidate
Exhibit 7L - Statement of Reasons in Support of Motion to Consolidate
Exhibit 7M - Motion for Leave to Proceed Under Pseudonyms and to Impound the Record
Exhibit 7N - Statement of Reasons in Support of Motion for Leave to Proceed Under Pseudonyms and to Impound the Record
Exhibit 7O - Defendants’ Motion for Protective Order as to Notice of Deposition; Rule 9A Statement of Reasons; Rule 9A Request for Hearing; Rule 9C Certificate of Compliance
Exhibit 7P - Motion to Quash Plaintiff’s Deposition Notices
Exhibit 7Q - Defendant’s Motion for Continuance of Trial Date, Assented to by Plaintiff
Exhibit 7R - Motion for Protective Order Regarding Depositions of Nonparty Witnesses
Exhibit 7S - Statement of Reasons in Support of Motion for Protective Order Regarding Depositions of Nonparty Witnesses
Exhibit 7T - Third-Party Plaintiff’s Motion for Leave of Court to File Third-Party Complaint
Exhibit 7U - Statement of Reasons in Support of Third-Party Plaintiff’s Motion for Leave of Court to File Third-Party Complaint
Exhibit 7V - Motion to Withdraw as Counsel
Exhibit 7W - Defendant’s Motion to Compel Production of Documents
Chapter 08 - Preparing Discovery
Laura R. Studen, Esq.,
Burns & Levinson LLP
Christopher Wurster, Esq.,
Burns & Levinson LLP
Checklist 8.1 - Deposition of Plaintiff
Exhibit 8A - Notice of Oral Deposition and Schedule A
Exhibit 8B - Notice of Video Deposition
Exhibit 8C - Assented-to Motion for Court Approval for Taking Audiovisual Expert’s Deposition for Use at Trial
Exhibit 8D - Plaintiff’s Interrogatories Propounded to Defendant
Exhibit 8E - Defendants’ First Set of Interrogatories Propounded to the Plaintiff (Personal Injury)
Exhibit 8F - Plaintiff’s Request for Admissions
Exhibit 8G - Plaintiff’s Request for the Production of Documents Propounded to Defendant
Exhibit 8H - Plaintiff’s Objection to Defendants’ Filing of Defendants’ Motion to Conduct Supplementary Discovery
Chapter 09 - Discovery Motions
Gregory R. Browne, Esq.,
Todd & Weld LLP
Nicholas B. Carter, Esq.,
Todd & Weld LLP
Maria Davis, Esq.,
Todd & Weld LLP
Exhibit 9A - Memorandum in Support of Motion to Compel Discovery
Exhibit 9B - Memorandum in Support of Motion for Sanctions for Failure to Comply with Order to Provide Discovery
Exhibit 9C - Defendant’s Motion to Compel Responses to Discovery by Defendant
Exhibit 9D - Memorandum in Support of Defendant’s Motion to Compel Production of Documents Plaintiff Had Previously Agreed to Produce
Exhibit 9E - Memorandum in Support of Motion for Sanctions for Failure to Comply with Discovery Request
Exhibit 9F - Plaintiff’s Opposition to Defendant’s Renewed Motion for Costs and Sanctions
Exhibit 9G - Joint Motion to Extend Time for Discovery
Exhibit 9H - Joint Motion to Extend Tracking Order
Chapter 10 - Alternatives to Litigation
David A. Hoffman, Esq.,
Boston Law Collaborative LLC
Exhibit 10A - Joint Motion for Appointment of Master
Exhibit 10B - Agreement to Mediate
Exhibit 10C - Application for Stay of Arbitration
Exhibit 10D - Petition to Compel Arbitration
Chapter 11 - Pretrial Preparation
David S. Lawless, Esq.,
Robinson Donovan, PC
Exhibit 11A - Joint Pretrial Memorandum
Exhibit 11B - Notice to Appear for Final Pretrial Conference
Chapter 12 - Presenting Evidence
John J. Egan, Esq.,
Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, PC
Lauren F. Olanoff, Esq.,
Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, PC
Russell X. Pollock, Esq.,
Bergstresser & Pollock, PC
Exhibit 12A - Motion for a View
Exhibit 12B - Opposition to Motion for a View
Exhibit 12C - Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Exclude Introduction of Photographs of Accident Victim (Dram Shop Case) with Memorandum of Law
Chapter 13 - Trying the Case
Jeffrey L. Adams, Esq.,
United Healthcare
Exhibit 13A - Motion in Limine to Preclude Testimony of Expert
Exhibit 13B - Motion in Limine to Exclude Testimony of Expert on Business Ethics
Exhibit 13C - Motion in Limine to Exclude Certain Proposed Trial Exhibits
Exhibit 13D - Motion in Limine to Exclude Settlement References
Exhibit 13E - Motion to Submit Jury Verdict Questionnaire
Exhibit 13F - Motion for a Directed Verdict
Exhibit 13G - Plaintiff’s Motion for a New Trial
Chapter 14 - Jury Issues
John O. Mirick, Esq.,
Mirick, O'Connell, DeMallie & Lougee LLP
Kenneth C. Pickering, Esq.,
Mirick, O'Connell, DeMallie & Lougee LLP
Exhibit 14A - Confidential Jury Questionnaire
Exhibit 14B - Superior Court Rule 6
Exhibit 14C - Jury Empanelment Diagram
Exhibit 14D - Special Jury Verdict
Chapter 15 - Judgment
Jeffrey G. Thorn, Esq.,
Adkins, Kelston & Zavez, PC
Exhibit 15A - Request for Default
Exhibit 15B - Judgment by Default (Mass. R. Civ. P. 55(b)(1))
Exhibit 15C - Plaintiff’s Motion for Default Judgment with Affidavit as to Military Service (Mass. R. Civ. P. 55(b)(2))
Exhibit 15D - Agreement for Judgment
Exhibit 15E - Stipulation of Dismissal (With Prejudice)
Exhibit 15F - Notice of Settlement and Request for Entry of Nisi Order
Exhibit 15G - Proposed Judgment
Chapter 16 - Posttrial Motions
Andrea Peraner-Sweet, Esq.,
Fitch Law Partners LLP
Exhibit 16A - Plaintiff’s Motion for a New Trial
Exhibit 16B - Plaintiff’s Statement of Reasons in Support of Motion for a New Trial
Exhibit 16C - Statement of Reasons in Support of Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict or for a New Trial
Chapter 17 - Posttrial and Appellate Rights
Kimberly A. Crowley, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Felicia H. Ellsworth, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Denise Wei-Hua Tsai, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Exhibit 17A - Verification of Bill of Costs
Exhibit 17B - Defendant’s Motion for Taxation of Costs
Exhibit 17C - Affidavit of Defense Counsel in Support of Bill of Costs
Exhibit 17D - Notice of Appeal
Exhibit 17E - Petition for Interlocutory Review
Chapter 18 - The Jury Selection Process and Attorney-Conducted Voir Dire
Charlotte E. Glinka, Esq.,
Chapter 19 - Electronic Discovery
Ronaldo Rauseo-Ricupero, Esq.,
Nixon Peabody LLP
Exhibit 19A - ESI Plan
Exhibit 19B - Confidentiality Agreement
Authors
Editor(s)Nelson G. Apjohn, Esq.,
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Boston
Ethics Editor(s)
Bruce T. Eisenhut, Esq.,
Boston
ADR Editor(s)
Hon. James P. Lynch, Jr.,
Natick
Carmin C. Reiss, Esq.,
Resolutions LLC, Boston
Judicial Commentator(s)
Hon. Charles F. Barrett,
Milton
Hon. Robert H. Bohn, Jr.,
Hon. Margot Botsford,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.), Boston
Hon. Patrick F. Brady,
Hon. Raymond J. Brassard,
Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Hon. Elizabeth Butler,
JAMS, Wayland
Hon. Paul A. Chernoff,
Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.), Boston
Hon. John C. Cratsley,
JAMS, Concord
Hon. Elizabeth B. Donovan,
Hon. Thayer Fremont-Smith,
Hon. Rudolph Kass,
Hon. Peter M. Lauriat,
JAMS, Boston
Hon. Stephen E. Neel,
JAMS, Boston
Hon. Barbara J. Rouse,
Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Hon. Daniel F. Toomey,
Boston
Author(s)
Jeffrey L. Adams, Esq.,
United Healthcare, Hartford
Nelson G. Apjohn, Esq.,
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Boston
Gregory R. Browne, Esq.,
Todd & Weld LLP, Boston
Barbara Hayes Buell, Esq.,
Smith Duggan Cornell & Gollub, LLP, Lincoln
Nicholas B. Carter, Esq.,
Todd & Weld LLP, Boston
Sarah-Elizabeth H. Cloutier, Esq.,
Kotin, Crabtree & Strong LLP, Boston
Kimberly A. Crowley, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston
Maria Davis, Esq.,
Todd & Weld LLP, Boston
John J. Egan, Esq.,
Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, PC, Springfield
Felicia H. Ellsworth, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston
Daniel K. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP, Beverly
Gail Kleven Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP, Beverly
Richard M. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP, Beverly
Charlotte E. Glinka, Esq.,
David A. Hoffman, Esq.,
Boston Law Collaborative LLC, Boston
Anne L. Josephson, Esq.,
Kotin, Crabtree & Strong LLP, Boston
Michael B. Keating, Esq.,
Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow, PC, Boston
David S. Lawless, Esq.,
Robinson Donovan, PC, Springfield
Richard S. Loftus, Jr., Esq.,
Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP, Boston
John O. Mirick, Esq.,
Mirick, O'Connell, DeMallie & Lougee LLP, Worcester
Lauren F. Olanoff, Esq.,
Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, PC, Springfield
Andrea Peraner-Sweet, Esq.,
Fitch Law Partners LLP, Boston
Kenneth C. Pickering, Esq.,
Mirick, O'Connell, DeMallie & Lougee LLP, Worcester
Russell X. Pollock, Esq.,
Bergstresser & Pollock, PC, Boston
Ronaldo Rauseo-Ricupero, Esq.,
Nixon Peabody LLP, Boston
Laura R. Studen, Esq.,
Burns & Levinson LLP, Boston
Peter H. Sutton, Esq.,
Riemer & Braunstein LLP, Boston
Jeffrey G. Thorn, Esq.,
Adkins, Kelston & Zavez, PC, Boston
Denise Wei-Hua Tsai, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston
Brandon F. White, Esq.,
Foley Hoag LLP, Boston
Melanie Woodward, Esq.,
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Boston
Christopher Wurster, Esq.,
Burns & Levinson LLP, Boston
