Massachusetts Legal Overview: Pittsfield The Pittsfield metropolitan area in Massachusetts is defined by the Census Bureau as covering parts of Berkshire County. The county is served by a superior court, which acts as the main trial court with general jurisdiction over everything from felonies to civil disputes that involve large sums. There is also a district court with limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors, minor civil disputes, small claims and local ordinance violations. Listed below are the major cities and towns in the Pittsfield metro area.
Top Massachusetts cities for Legal Issues: Pittsfield
1. The Berkshire Superior Court located in Pittsfield has jurisdiction over civil lawsuits involving amounts greater than $25,000. Smaller civil disputes are handled by the district court, which also has original jurisdiction over small claims not exceeding $7,000. There are three district court locations in the county, one of which is the Pittsfield District Court. The other two are the Northern Berkshire District Court and the Southern Berkshire District Court. Appeals against verdicts handed down by all these trial courts have to be filed with the Massachusetts Appeals Court.
Trending Legal Topics: Another appeal may be possible if the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court agrees to review the case and uphold or overturn the intermediate appellate court’s verdict. Federal cases in Berkshire County must be filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Bankruptcy filings are also a federal matter, and handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. Appeals against federal court verdicts in Massachusetts can be filed with the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals. |