Federal cases in the District of Massachusetts

The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts is the federal trial court for the whole state. It has three divisions, based in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. Here is where the court sits, who prosecutes and defends cases there, and where its rules are published.

Where does the court sit?

Massachusetts is one judicial district, and by statute court is held at Boston, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester (28 U.S.C. § 101). The court's Local Rule 40.1(c) divides the district into three divisions, and its site lists a courthouse for each:

• Eastern Division: Boston

  John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Way. Covers Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk counties.

• Central Division: Worcester

  Harold D. Donohue Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 595 Main Street. Covers Worcester County.

• Western Division: Springfield

  U.S. Courthouse, 300 State Street. Covers Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties.

Under Local Rule 40.1(e), a criminal case is assigned to the division where the most significant criminal conduct related to the alleged violations happened, and the judge can move a case to another division for good cause (L.R. 40.1(f)). The court's site lists no New Bedford courthouse.

United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts

Which appeals court covers it?

Appeals from this court go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (28 U.S.C. §§ 41, 1294(1)). Its decisions are binding on the federal judges in this district, so its precedent governs cases here (uscourts.gov, About the U.S. Courts of Appeals).

Who prosecutes and who defends?

Federal prosecutors here work for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Anyone charged with a federal crime who can’t afford a lawyer can ask the court to appoint one (18 U.S.C. § 3006A). Here, appointed lawyers come from the Federal Public Defender Office for the Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, a Federal Public Defender office based in Boston, with an office in Springfield, that also serves New Hampshire and Rhode Island, or from a panel of private lawyers the court approves.

Where are the local rules and sentencing procedures?

Every federal court follows the national rules, such as the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, plus its own local rules. This court publishes them on its local rules page.

The local rules set no separate presentence report deadlines, so the federal rule applies: the report goes to the defense at least 35 days before sentencing, and objections are due within 14 days (Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(e)(2), (f)). Local Rule 116.2(b)(4) adds that, before any plea or before the defense files objections to the presentence report (whichever comes first), the prosecutor must give the defense a written summary of information that could lower the person's blame or Guidelines offense level.

“a written summary of any information in the government’s possession that tends to diminish the degree of the defendant’s culpability or the defendant’s Offense Level under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.”

How does a lawyer from outside the district appear here?

In many federal courts, a lawyer who isn’t a member of the court’s bar must ask the judge for permission to appear in a specific case (often called pro hac vice admission), and many courts also require a lawyer who is a member of their bar to sponsor the request or appear alongside. The judge decides whether to allow it. In this court, the rule is Local Rule 83.5.3(e).

“may appear and practice in this court in a particular case by leave of court.”

Which federal prisons are in this district?

Bureau of Prisons facility in this district (from bop.gov, which lists its judicial district as Massachusetts):

• FMC Devens

  A federal medical center. Administrative security, with a satellite camp. Ayer, Middlesex County.

A prison being in this district doesn’t mean someone sentenced here will go there. The Bureau of Prisons decides where each person serves their sentence (18 U.S.C. § 3621(b)).

What families should know about federal cases in this district

• The first hearing comes fast. After an arrest, the person goes before a magistrate judge without unnecessary delay for an initial appearance (Fed. R. Crim. P. 5(a)). The judge decides whether they stay in custody while the case goes on (18 U.S.C. § 3142).
• Most felony cases start with an indictment. A grand jury decides in private whether to approve the charges (Fed. R. Crim. P. 6, 7).
• The presentence report matters. A federal probation officer writes a report on the offense and the person’s life before sentencing, and the defense can object to mistakes in it (Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(c)–(f)). Check this court’s schedule above.
• The judge decides the sentence. The judge must consider the Sentencing Guidelines and the factors in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), including the person’s history and background. Families can write letters; there is no limit on the background information a judge may consider (18 U.S.C. § 3661).
• The appeal clock is short. A defendant’s notice of appeal is usually due within 14 days after the judgment is entered (Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A)).
• Prison phones and email are monitored. Don’t discuss the case on them (28 C.F.R. § 540.102).

More questions families ask →

Sources

• U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• D. Mass. divisional offices
• 28 U.S.C. § 101
• D. Mass. Local Rules
• D. Mass. Local Rules (eff. Sept. 8, 2026 PDF)
• D. Mass. Criminal Justice Act Plan (2019 PDF)
• 28 U.S.C. § 41 (circuits)
• uscourts.gov: About the U.S. Courts of Appeals
• USAO District of Massachusetts
• Federal Public Defender, Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island
• FMC Devens (bop.gov)
• BOP locations list

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