Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 185C, § 20 (2026)

Transfer of civil actions

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 20. Any civil action within the jurisdiction of the housing court department which is pending in another court department may be transferred to the housing court department by any party thereto.

Whenever cross actions between the same parties or two or more actions, including for the purposes hereof other department proceedings, arising out of or connected with the same housing accommodation are pending, one or more in the housing court department, the district court department, the probate and family court department, or in the superior court department, the chief justice of the housing court or the first justice upon motion of any party to any of such actions, may order that the action or actions pending in the district court department and in the probate and family court department and in the superior court department with all papers relating thereto, be transferred to the housing court department; and such action or actions shall thereafter proceed in the housing court department as though originally entered there.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1981–2023 · leading case: Skawski v. Greenfield Investors Prop. Dev. LLC, 45 N.E.3d 561 (Mass. 2016).

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Skawski v. Greenfield Investors Prop. Dev. LLC, 45 N.E.3d 561 (Mass. 2016). · cites it 5× “The board filed a notice in the permit session to transfer the case to the Housing Court, invoking G. L. c. 185C, § 20, which provides that “[a]ny civil action within the jurisdiction of the housing court department which is pending in another [trial] court department may be…”

Spence v. Reeder, 416 N.E.2d 914 (Mass. 1981). · cites it 4× “The objective of denying a tenant the right to transfer an eviction proceeding from the Superior Court, as part of the Perez litigation, to the Housing Court of the City of Boston, a right granted by G. L. c. 185C, § 20, might be achieved by a request of the Chief Administrative…”

Adjartey v. Cent. Div. of the Hous. Court Departmentand, 120 N.E.3d 297 (Mass. 2019). “7 See Rule 4 of the Uniform Summary Process Rules (1982); G. L. c. 185C, § 20. 3. Answer . No later than the first Monday after the entry date, which could come as soon as two weeks after the tenant receives the summons and complaint, the tenant must file a written answer.”

Quinn v. Rent Control Bd., 45 Mass. App. Ct. 357 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998). · cites it 2× “The Attorney General’s action, initially brought in the Superior Court, was transferred on his motion to the Housing Court pursuant to G. L. c. 185C, § 20, as appearing in St. 1992, c.”

Patry v. Liberty Mobilhome Sales, Inc., 448 N.E.2d 405 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “Indeed, it could not have been otherwise because under G. L. c. 185C, § 20, inserted by St. 1978, c.”

Buccaneer Dev., Inc. v. Zoning Bd. of Appeals, 980 N.E.2d 458 (Mass. App. Ct. 2012). “*41 On February 1, 2008, the attorney for the board (town counsel) filed a “notice of transfer” in the permit session, requesting that the case be moved to the Housing Court pursuant to G. L. c. 185C, § 20. 1 The Land Court docket indicates that the “case [was] disposed by…”

St. Joseph's Polish Nat'l Catholic Church v. Lawn Care Assocs., Inc., 608 N.E.2d 722 (Mass. 1993). “We reject the defendant’s contrary arguments, particularly the argument that G. L. c. 185C, § 20, inserted by St. 1978, c.”

Mastriani v. Bldg. Inspector, 19 Mass. App. Ct. 989 (Mass. App. Ct. 1985). “Because of G. L. c. 185C, § 20, we cannot order that the case be transferred to the Land Court.”

Murphy v. Miller, 913 N.E.2d 379 (Mass. App. Ct. 2009). “See Rule 4(b) of the Uniform Small Claims Rules (2002); G. L. c. 185C, § 20; and G. L. c. 218, § 24.”

Morello v. Boston Rent Control Bd., 436 N.E.2d 425 (Mass. App. Ct. 1982). “The action was transferred to the Boston Housing Court (see G. L. c. 185C, § 20), where the parties filed cross motions for summary judgment.”

Commonwealth v. Davidson (Mass. 2023). · cites it 2× “However, because the complainants filed with the commission and the defendant elected to have the matter heard in court, the Superior Court is the only court with jurisdiction 4 Nor are we persuaded by the defendant's argument that G. L. c. 185C, § 20, which generally authorizes…”

Papp v. Westborough Gardens LLC/BVF-V Westborough LLC (Mass. 2023). “He contends that the transfer occurred in violation of the requirements of G. L. c. 185C, § 20, and further, that the transfer deprived him of due process insofar as it was effected without a motion and without an opportunity for Papp to be heard.”

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