Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, § 32 (2026)

Complaints and warrants

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 32. District courts may receive complaints and issue warrants and other processes for the apprehension of persons charged with crime and found within their county, or who after committing crime therein escape therefrom, returnable before a court of the county having jurisdiction of the trial or examination of the person charged with the crime.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases, 1972–2019 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Smallwood, 401 N.E.2d 802 (Mass. 1980).

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Commonwealth v. Smallwood, 401 N.E.2d 802 (Mass. 1980). “While District Court judges are authorized to receive complaints and issue warrants, G. L. c. 218, § 32, a clerk or assistant clerk may also receive complaints, administer the required oath, and issue warrants in the name of the court.”

Bos. Globe Media Partners, LLC v. Chief Just. of the Trial Court, 130 N.E.3d 742 (Mass. 2019). “218, § 35A, provides in relevant part: "If a complaint is received by a district court, or by a justice, associate justice or special justice thereof, or by a clerk, assistant clerk, temporary clerk or temporary assistant clerk thereof under [G. L. c. 218, § 32, 33, or 35 ], as…”

Manning v. Mun. Court of the Roxbury Dist., 361 N.E.2d 1274 (Mass. 1977). “Although a victim may seek a complaint against the alleged criminal (see G. L. c. 218, §§ 32, 33, and 35), the prosecution of any complaint, once issued, is conducted in the interests of the Commonwealth and not on behalf of the alleged victim.”

Jenkins v. Chief Just. of the Dist. Court Dept., 619 N.E.2d 324 (Mass. 1993). “878, 885 (1980) ("While District Court judges are authorized to receive complaints and issue warrants, G.L.c. 218, § 32, a clerk or assistant clerk may also receive complaints, administer the required oath, and issue warrants in the name of the court.”

Commonwealth v. Fields, 356 N.E.2d 1211 (Mass. 1976). “G. L. c. 218, § 32. The conduct of a bind-over hearing would have been an “other disposition” under G.”

Commonwealth v. Dale D., 730 N.E.2d 278 (Mass. 2000). “While the District Court is required to “bind over” to the Superior Court certain offenses not within its final jurisdiction, see G. L. c. 218, § 32, the Juvenile Court retains jurisdiction over a juvenile in noncapital cases whether the juvenile is indicted as a youthful…”

Commonwealth v. Thompson, 446 N.E.2d 746 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “54, 58 [1976]), as when an arrest is made (A) on a warrant issued under G. L. c. 218, § 32 or § 33 (see Commonwealth v.”

Haley v. Troy, 338 F. Supp. 794 (D. Mass. 1972). “The Massachusetts statutes authorize a justice of the Dorchester District Court to “receive” a complaint, see Mass.Gen. Laws ch. 218, §§ 32, 35, 35A, but there is no authority allowing a justice to order or compel one person to sign a complaint against another.”

Commonwealth v. Steadward, 683 N.E.2d 683 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997). ““Although a victim may seek a complaint against the alleged criminal (see G. L. c. 218, §§ 32, 33, and 35), the prosecution of any complaint, once issued, is conducted in the interests of the Commonwealth and not on behalf of the alleged victim.”

Jenkins v. Chief Just. of the Dist. Court Dep't, 416 Mass. 221 (Mass. 1993). “878, 885 (1980) (“While District Court judges are authorized to receive complaints and issue warrants, G. L. c. 218, § 32, a clerk or assistant clerk may also receive complaints, administer the required oath, and issue warrants in the name of the court.”

Commonwealth v. Mendes, 933 N.E.2d 119 (Mass. 2010). “The Commonwealth points us to G. L. c. 218, § 32, which states in pertinent part: “District courts may .”

Sadlowski v. Benoit, 24 Mass. L. Rptr. 207 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2008). “Issue Preclusion Benoit argues that the Sadlowskis are collaterally barred from challenging the legality of the search, as the result of the denial of issuance of criminal process against him pursuant to G.L.c. 218, §§32, 33 and 35 (see also Mass.”

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