Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 211, § 3

Superintendence of inferior courts; power to issue writs and process

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Section 3. The supreme judicial court shall have general superintendence of all courts of inferior jurisdiction to correct and prevent errors and abuses therein if no other remedy is expressly provided; and it may issue all writs and processes to such courts and to corporations and individuals which may be necessary to the furtherance of justice and to the regular execution of the laws.

In addition to the foregoing, the justices of the supreme judicial court shall also have general superintendence of the administration of all courts of inferior jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the prompt hearing and disposition of matters pending therein, and the functions set forth in section 3C; and it may issue such writs, summonses and other processes and such orders, directions and rules as may be necessary or desirable for the furtherance of justice, the regular execution of the laws, the improvement of the administration of such courts, and the securing of their proper and efficient administration; provided, however, that general superintendence shall not include the authority to supersede any general or special law unless the supreme judicial court, acting under its original or appellate jurisdiction finds such law to be unconstitutional in any case or controversy. Nothing herein contained shall affect existing law governing the selection of officers of the courts, or limit the existing authority of the officers thereof to appoint administrative personnel.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1,571 cases (142 in the last 5 years), 1925–2026 · leading case: Sullivan v. Chief Justice for Administration & Management of the Trial Court

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Sullivan v. Chief Justice for Administration & Management of the Trial Court (2006) mass · cites it 21× “On April 18, 2006, the plaintiffs filed their first amended complaint (complaint) in the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County seeking declaratory and equitable relief, or, in the alternative, petitioning the Supreme Judicial Court to exercise its powers of general…”

McMenimen v. Passatempo (2008) mass · cites it 29× “This is an appeal from a judgment of a single justice of the county court denying a petition for extraordinary relief pursuant to G. L. c. 211, § 3. Because we conclude that the case does not present the type of exceptional circumstances that require the exercise of our general…”

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Inc. v. Operation Rescue (1990) mass · cites it 22× “These same defendants then brought a petition for relief before a single justice of this court (single justice) under G.L.c. 211, § 3 (1988 ed.). On August 16, 1989, the single justice suspended the preliminary injunction "until the final disposition of this case or until…”

L.L., a juvenile v. Commonwealth (2014) mass · cites it 7× “We consider here the juvenile’s petition for relief pursuant to G. L. c. 211, § 3. The principal issue he raises concerns the standard by which a Juvenile Court judge determines the risk of reoffense on the part of a juvenile under § 178E (j), an issue that this court considered…”

Commonwealth v. Fontanez (2019) mass · cites it 11× “**22 The Commonwealth appeals from the judgment of a single justice of this court denying its petition for relief pursuant to G. L. c. 211, § 3. The Commonwealth petitioned the single justice to vacate a Superior Court judge's order allowing the criminal defendant's motion in…”

Brantley v. Hampden Division of the Probate & Family Court Department (2010) mass · cites it 19× “Two petitioners filed an amended complaint in the county court seeking relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3, as well as declaratory and injunctive relief, to halt the respondents’ use of the protocols on the ground that they infringed the petitioners’ rights of due process under the…”

Commonwealth v. Goodwin (2010) mass · cites it 12× “Acting on a petition for relief brought by the Commonwealth under G. L. c. 211, § 3, a single justice of this court reserved and reported the question "whether a judge has the authority to impose a global positioning system (GPS) monitoring device as an additional condition of…”

Commonwealth v. Gaulden (1981) mass · cites it 15× “" The Commonwealth filed a petition in the county court seeking relief under the general superintendency power of this court *545 (G.L.c. 211, § 3) from the judge's order reducing the conviction from murder in the second degree to manslaughter.”

Brangan v. Commonwealth (2017) mass · cites it 8× “In this appeal from a judgment of a single justice denying his petition for relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3, Brangan contends that the single justice’s denial of his bail review request should be reversed because the Superior Court judge’s bail order is unconstitutional.”

Birchall (2009) mass · cites it 9× “In a supplemental brief he filed the same day, the petitioner also sought relief under the “general superintendency” authority of this court under G. L. c. 211, § 3. By order of the single justice, D’Amour was permitted to intervene, and she has filed a brief with this court in…”

Adjartey v. Cent. Div. of the Hous. Court Departmentand (2019) mass · cites it 7× “Although we affirm the single justice's order denying the petitioners' request for relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3, we take this opportunity to clarify several important issues raised by the facts alleged in this case: (1) the appropriate process for waiving court fees and costs…”

Commonwealth v. Kerns (2007) mass · cites it 15× “The issues (here by way of the Commonwealth’s appeal from a judgment in the county court) concern whether the Commonwealth properly sought relief from a single justice of this court under G. L. c. 211, § 3, from midtrial statements made by the judge about the law that he would…”

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