Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 6E (2026)

Definitions applicable to sections 6E to 6G

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 6E. As used in sections 6E to 6G inclusive, the following words shall have the following meanings:—

''Court'', the supreme judicial court, the appeals court, the superior court, the land court, any probate court and any housing court, and any judge or justice thereof;

''Civil action'', any civil proceeding in any court except those conducted pursuant to chapters one hundred and nineteen, one hundred and twenty-three, chapter one hundred and twenty-three A or chapter two hundred and ten;

''Party'', any person, including any officer or agency of the commonwealth or subdivision thereof, or any authority established by the general court to serve a public purpose.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 20 cases, 1986–2020 · leading case: Brossi v. Fisher, 747 N.E.2d 714 (Mass. App. Ct. 2001).

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Brossi v. Fisher, 747 N.E.2d 714 (Mass. App. Ct. 2001). · cites it 3× “” The term “court” is defined in G. L. c. 231, § 6E, to include all the departments of the trial court other than the District and Municipal courts.”

Telman v. Brink, 74 Mass. App. Ct. 845 (Mass. App. Ct. 2009). · cites it 3× “” G. L. c. 231, § 6E, inserted by St. 1976, c.”

Brossi v. Fisher, 1999 Mass. App. Div. 99 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 1999). · cites it 2× ““As this Division has repeatedly stated, it is clear from G.L.c. 231, §6E that ‘§6F authority has not been extended to the District Court Department.”

Monahan Corp. N v. v. Whitty, 319 F. Supp. 2d 227 (D. Mass. 2004). · cites it 2× “Until the Legislature amends G.L.c. 231, § 6E, however, the district court is without such authority (Emphasis added).”

Skawski v. Greenfield Investors Prop. Dev. LLC, 45 N.E.3d 561 (Mass. 2016). “231, § 6F, because it is not included in statutory definition of “court” under G. L. c. 231, § 6E). This interpretation is consistent with the statutory maxim, “expressio unius est exclusio alteráis,” meaning “the expression of one thing in a statute is an implied exclusion of…”

Bartlett v. Greyhound Real Est. Fin. Co., 669 N.E.2d 792 (Mass. App. Ct. 1996). “The explicit differentiation of the Appeals Court single justice from “the appeals court” in G. L. c. 231, §§ 6E and 6G, makes it clear that the “appeals court” here referred to is not the single justice but rather one of the three-judge panels of the court that decides “all…”

Hartford v. Hartford, 803 N.E.2d 334 (Mass. App. Ct. 2004). “Nancy alleged that the filing of the defamation complaint was an abuse of process and that she was entitled to attorney’s fees under G. L. c. 231, § 6E There is nothing in the record before us indicating the basis for Nancy’s assertions that Charles filed the defamation action…”

Taupa Lithuanian Fed. Credit Union v. Bajercius, 1997 Mass. App. Div. 31 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 1997). “It is clear from the express terms of G.L.c. 231, §6E that G.L.c. 231, §6F has no application in the District Court Department of the Trial Court.”

Nissenbaum v. McGovern, 1995 Mass. App. Div. 153 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 1995). “Until the Legislature amends G.L.c. 231, §6E, however, the district court is without such authority.”

Fronk v. Fowler, 962 N.E.2d 231 (Mass. App. Ct. 2012). “The central issue on appeal is whether a judge in the Superior Court may grant postjudgment statutory interest on an award of attorney’s fees and costs made pursuant to G. L. c. 231, § 6E 3 This pure question of law is one of first impression.”

Isaacson v. Isaacson, 2000 Mass. App. Div. 233 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 2000). “G.L.c. 231, §6E. See Nissenbaum v. McGovern, 1995 Mass.”

Brentwood Nursing Home, Inc. v. Goldstein, 1986 Mass. App. Div. 8 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 1986). “This is because G.L.c. 231, § 6E which defines the courts to which such proceedings apply, does not include the district court within the definition.”

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