South Boston Neighborhood, Boston, Massachusetts, Crime Index
South Boston is considered only 5% safer than most communities its size in the United States of America. Annually, South Boston records 48.50 crimes for every 1000 residents and residents have a 1 in 271 chance of being a victim of either violent or property crime.
Boston Municipal Court, South Boston Division
The South Boston Division of the Boston Municipal Court handles both civil and criminal cases in South Boston, Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located at
535 East Broadway
South Boston, MA 02127
Phone: (617) 268 - 9292
Probation Department: (617) 268 - 0234
Email: bmcsouthboston@jud.state.ma.us
Fax: (617) 268 - 7321
Probation Department: (617) 464 - 3804
In the 2020 fiscal year, 3,319 cases were filed at the Boston Municipal Court, South Boston Division. The statistics revealed the number of cases filed under different divisions including
- 750- Criminal Cases
- 1,077- Criminal Show Cause Hearings (Hearing Held)
- 92- Probation Violation Hearings
- 35 - Search Warrants (Criminal)
- 88 - Search Warrants (Administrative)
- 152 - Abuse Prevention Orders
- 87- Civil Cases
- 3- Civil Remands and other civil cases
- 236- Small Claims
- 49 - Summary Processes
- 15 - Supplementary Processes
- 627 - Civil Motor Vehicle Infraction Received (Hearings Held)
- 41 - Civil Motor Vehicle Infraction (Judged cases)
- 64 - Mental Health (Civil)
- 2- Cases handled by the Appellate Division
Eastern Housing Court
The Eastern Housing Court handles all cases relating to evictions, small claims, property damages, breach of contracts, and other related cases.
24 New Chardon Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: Housing Specialist Department - (617) 788 - 6233
Clerk’s Office: (617) 788 - 8485
Email: EasternHousingourt@jud.state.ma.us
The Housing Court Department’s compiled case entries for the 2020 fiscal year recorded a total of 10,144 cases filed in the Eastern Housing Court including
- Criminal Cases - 333
- Civil Cases - 631
- Probable Cause - 693
- Small Claims - 274
- Summary Process - 4,452
- Supplementary Process - 3
- Search Warrants/Utility Warrants - 1
- Tickets - 382
- ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) 3,375
Also, 6,322 cases were disposed of including
Criminal Cases- 328
Civil Cases - 545
Probable Cause - 732
Small Claims - 278
Summary Processes - 4,089
Supplementary Processes - 4
Search Warrant/Utility Warrant - 1
Tickets - 345
Suffolk County Juvenile Court
The Suffolk County Juvenile Court in Boston serves South Boston on cases involving minors or under-aged offenders. The courthouse is located at
Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
24 New Chardon Street
PO Box 9663
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617) 788 - 8525
Probation Department: (617) 788 - 8571
Email suffolk-jccallctr@jud.state.ma.us
Fax: (617) 788 - 8991
Probation Department - (617) 788 - 8972
The total case entries recorded in the 2020 fiscal year for Suffolk County Juvenile Court was 3,061 including
- Adoption - 72
- Adult Criminal - 4
- Application for Compliant - 1,162
- Care & Protection - 338
- Child Requiring Assistance - 626
- Contempt (Civil) - 1
- Contempt (Criminal) - 0
- Contributing to Delinquency - 0
- Delinquency - 620
- Equity - 0
- Failure to Cause - 43
- Guardianship - 51
- Harassment - 37
- Mentally ill person - 2
- Name Change - 0
- Patternity/Support - 27
- Substance Abuse - 10
- Young Adult Permanency Hearings - 39
- Youthful Offender - 29
Land Court
The Land Court is based in Boston and resolves matters involving property ownership, property disputes, and all other real estate cases.
3 Pemberton Square
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 788 - 7470
Email: LandCourt.Emergency@jud.state.ma.us
The total caseload for the 2020 fiscal year was 26,037, distributed as
- 791 Registration/Confirmation cases
- 2,038 Subsequent to Registration
- 7,224 Tax Lien Foreclosure
- 3,824 Miscellaneous cases
- 11 Permits
- 12, 126 Servicemember cases
For the survey division, there were 23 Registration Plans and 698 Subdivision Plans filed in the 2020 fiscal year.
Suffolk Probate and Family Court
The Suffolk Probate and Family Court hears cases on family and probate matters in South Boston. Such cases include divorce, abuse prevention, paternity, and child support. The court is at
24 New Chardon Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: Register’s Office (617) 788 - 8210
Probation Department: (617) 788 - 8210
Email: Suffolkquestions@jud.state.ma.us
Fax: Register’s Office (617) 788 - 8962
Probation Department: (617) - 788 - 8957
Data by the Probate and Family Court Department for the 2020 fiscal year submitted that 11,576 cases were filed with the Suffolk Division, Probate and Family Court detailed as
- 1,943 Estate Administration
- 524 Change of Name
- 1,244 Guardianship
- 252 Conservatorship
- 112 Equity
- 4, 075 Probate, Equity, and Change of Name
- 78 Adoption and Welfare
- 247 Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
- 4,135 Divorce and Other Domestic Relations
- 1,0008 Contempt cases
- 1,863 on Modification
- 7,501 on Abuse Prevention
- 4,824 Domestic Relations and Child Welfare cases
Suffolk Superior Court
The Suffolk Superior Court attends to all felony matters and civil actions involving more than $50,000 in Boston. The court opens on Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located at Suffolk County Courthouse
For criminal businesses-
3 Pemberton Square
14th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 788 - 8160
Email: Suffolkcriminal.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us
Fax: (617) 788 - 7798
For civil businesses-
3 Pemberton Square
12th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 788 - 8175
Suffolkcivil.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us
For criminal businesses (Probation Department)-
3 Pemberton Square
7th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 788 - 7255
Fax: (617) 788 - 7277
In the 2020 fiscal year, the Suffolk Superior Court filed 3,346 civil cases and 1,322 criminal cases.
Supreme Judicial Court
The Supreme Judicial Court has authority over the judiciary and approves the rules for all other courts. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is situated at the John Adams Courthouse. The Courthouse also houses the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Social Law Library. Visitors have access to the John Adams Courthouse from Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Supreme Judicial Court is accessible from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The courthouse is at
1 Pemberton Square
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 557 - 1000
The statistics for the Supreme Judicial Court is for the 2018 fiscal year recorded 194 cases. 14 cases of those were dismissed. The records also detailed there were
- Direct Entries - 102
- Direct Appellate Review Applications Allowed - 44
- Direct Appellate Review Applications Considered - 110
- Further Appellate Review Applications Allowed - 15
- Further Appellate Review Applications Considered - 726
- Transferred by the Supreme Judicial Court on its Motion from Review of Entire Appeals Court Caseload - 33
Under the Disposition division for the 2018 fiscal year, there were
- Full Opinions - 145
- Rescripts - 49
- Total Opinions - 194
- Total Appeals resolved by the Court’s opinion - 195
Appeals Court
The Appeals Court reviews all civil and criminal cases from all departments of the Trial Court and the Appellate Tax Board, the Department of Industrial Accidents, and the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board. The court is located at the John Adams Courthouse.
1 Pemberton Square
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 921 - 4443
The Appeals Court received 842 civil in the 2020 fiscal year from
- Superior Court - 430 cases
- Probate & Family Court - 100 cases
- BMC/District Court - 79 cases
- Juvenile Court - 91 cases
- Land Court - 43 cases
- Housing Court - 58 cases
- Appellate Tax Board - 10 cases
- Industrial Accident Review Board - 10 cases
- Employment Relations Board - 1 case
- Appeals Court Single Justice - 20 cases
Also, there were 736 criminal panel entries in the 2020 fiscal year from the
- Superior Court - 388 cases
- BMC/District Court - 303 cases
- Juvenile Court - 30 cases
- Appeals Court Single Justice - 15 cases
There were also 576 panel- decisions on civil cases and 599 on criminal cases.
