I've never reviewed a courthouse before, so five stars?!…read more I came here and attended the case on Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College back in 2018. So I can only speak about the experience here for the bench trial. Security is strict, and you must leave your cellphone with the front desk. After you tell them which courtroom you are going to, you then go through security. It's airport style, and make sure you have your photo ID with you. If I remember it correctly, the bench trial was on the fifth floor. The elevators were pretty fast. The bathrooms were clean. Actually during one of the days, the fire alarm went off so we had to exit through the side staircase. Outside the room, you get a beautiful waterfront view, it's very pretty! I heard such good things about the cafeteria and now I wish I had a chance to try it. That said, Seaport has transformed so much and there are endless options these days! Love it!

iawtc. I've been on…read moretwo "field trips" as it were to this courthouse for law school so far this year and there's so much to talk about. The court rooms are bright, pretty, with stenciled wall motifs and domed ceilings and colorful carpeting and light wood. They're not intimidating at all and have an old-school town hall meets grandma's living room feeling. I think the idea is to create a sense of community, the idea of a place where the people's voices are heard. Hard to articulate it better than that. It's literally an architectural embodiment of all the floofy ideals they keep telling us in law school that nobody actually listens to. It fits, of course, that all the judges I've met so far (and that's considerable since one of our field trips was a Q&A panel sponsored by the First Circuit in which a bunch of the circuit's top judges talked to us) are magnanimous, paternal and...sweethearts. I can't believe it. Not intimidating at all. It was very much, "You're welcome to come by and watch a trial in my courtroom any time!" Of course, they're all also scary brilliant and classy and composed and articulate like whoa. My second field trip was a sentencing and I think I witnessed the first experience of my life where I've literally seen someone "be merciful." It was even heartwarming. My friend and I had to hold back tears at the end and, keep in mind, we're LAW STUDENTS. LAW STUDENTS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOULS. Then again, the federal courts are supposed to be the "ivory tower" of the American justice system. But, all in all, my experiences at Moakley have been nothing if not refreshing. When I walk in there I really do feel like this is a house of justice. And Brandeis p0wns. Even the US Marshals manning the metal detectors are adorable. I hope if I'm ever indicted in federal court I get to be a defendant at Moakley! Also, subsidized Sebastian's cafeteria is delicious and this building may very well have the best chunk of waterfront real estate in the entire Boston metropolitan area.

This review is based solely on the fact that I had to do Jury Duty here this past week, I have…read morenever been to this courthouse for any other reasons, and never intend to be. Okay, lets get started. So, I was selected to do my civic duty of Jury Duty this past week at Dedham District Court. Yay!! Not really. Anyways it was the day after the major snowstorm and I called the night before to make sure that I was still on for Jury Duty, which of course I was. I got there at 8am, parked in the rear of the building going through the exit (which I didn't know at the time because it was covered in snow). When I got inside the place was packed with people. The Court Officers were very pleasant and nice. We watched a video on Jury Duty and than the Judge came in and welcomed and thanked us for being there. She informed us that her case would not be heard today and that the majority of people would go home. I didn't get to, instead the remanding people went over to the district courthouse. Went into two cases and wasn't selected for either, and then we were released from our duties. Pros: Super friendly staff and Court officers. WiFi in the Registry of Deeds building. Paid day off (for me at least). Cons: Paying for parking. No WiFi once inside the District Courthouse. Not much fun.

This is a review for the Suffolk Probate and Family Court…read more I've sat in Suffolk Family Court long enough to recognize the soundtrack. It's the shuffle of papers, the sighs, the clock that never moves, and the quiet sound of people's lives getting billed by the hour. You want to know what went wrong? I watched it. Day after day. Same hallway. Same fear. Different families. Judges? Overworked. Exhausted. Politicized. Good people once, now just trying to get through a docket like it's TSA on Thanksgiving. Lawyers? They don't fight for justice. They fight for extensions. Every motion is a revenue stream. Every delay is a vacation home getting closer. They drain savings accounts with straight faces and sleep just fine knowing the kids are collateral damage. And the guardians....don't get me started. Some of them shouldn't be guarding a goldfish. No grasp of psychology. No understanding of trauma. Enormous power. Minimal oversight. That's not protection, that's roulette. This system doesn't listen. It processes. It grinds families down until everyone's too tired to keep going, then calls that resolution. I left because I couldn't watch it anymore. Too many parents breaking. Too many kids learning early that adults in robes don't always mean safety. There's a sadness in those courtrooms you can feel in your chest. And if you're not careful, it teaches you to shrink. To comply. To shut up. Don't. Strength doesn't always look like winning. Sometimes it looks like enduring without losing yourself. Teach your kids to trust their instincts, even when adults in authority fail them. You have to walk in strong. Eyes up. Spine straight. Because intimidation is baked into the architecture. These people should not have the power they have. Not without real oversight. Real training. Real accountability. To the Governor of Massachusetts, the Governor's Council, the Chief Justice, and those charged with oversight of the Probate & Family Court: Families are trapped in this system for months and often years, waiting for decisions that directly affect children's safety, stability, and development. These delays are not administrative inconveniences--they cause real and lasting harm. Without rigorous review, nothing changes. Immediate intervention, transparency, and reform are required, including a comprehensive review of judicial performance and court operations to address the human cost of prolonged inaction. Family court shouldn't feel like punishment for loving your kids. And when it does, when it breaks families instead of protecting them that's not justice. That's rot. And anyone paying attention knows it. Tell your story. Silence is how this stays hidden.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR JURY DUTY: (1) phones and laptops ARE allowed past security, (2) you can buy food…read moreand drinks at the little cafe and credit cards are accepted, (3) limited wifi is available in the break room, (4) outlets are available in both rooms (though more of them are in the break room) I gotta say, this is about as well-organized a process as jury duty gets. Here is a brief rundown of my day (as others have also shared), with some tips along the way. Instructions mailed to me say to show up by 8am at the Suffolk County Courthouse at 3 Pemberton Square. Finding the courthouse is a little tricky. Most people will probably be coming from the Cambridge Street/Tremont Street side of the plaza, so just walk through the tunnel under the "Center Plaza" sign next to Caffe Nero at the intersection of Court Street and Tremont. Go past Caffe Nero on the right and walk up the stairs. When you get to the brick courtyard/parking area, follow the row of parked cars to the right and you will see the entrance to the courthouse. Once I entered the courthouse, here's how the day unfolded... 7:45 go through security (very short line of 2 people in front of me - security officers were very pleasant) 7:48 directed to take elevator to 2nd floor and go to Room 218 (easy to find, right near elevators) 7:50 check in and submit juror questionnaire (first one on line) 7:55 grab coffee and breakfast sandwich at "Court Café" (credit cards accepted) - sandwich was hot, fresh, and pretty good (tasted home made) 7:55-8:30 wait in main jury pool room or break room (break room is much smaller but has better AC and gets wifi; main room does not) 8:30-9:00 general instructions read, video about jury service shown, and judge speaks to jury pool 9:00-11:00 continue waiting in jury pool room with periodic announcements that they are waiting to hear from judges upstairs 11:00 the last trial reached a plea deal, so no one is needed today!!! Everyone leaves quickly before they change their minds! LOL At several points, we were reminded that we should receive a jury service certificate in 7-10 days in the mail. This will enable us to be excused from jury service again for 3 years.

Thanks to the incompetence of this place, I have lost time that I will never get back with my…read morechildren. The staff continues to lose paperwork, ignore calls, ignore requests, send court paperwork to the wrong location. I have been lied to be staff, as well as a woman who claimed to work for the courts, yet no one seemed to have any record of her when I followed up with what she told me later. The staff needs to be held accountable and better administrative practices needs to be put into place.

I'm doing my public service today, as a juror at the Edward M Brooke Courthouse. And like others I…read morewas a little surprised to see reviews on Yelp, but since this is an uncommon experience (how often does one visit a courthouse if you're not a lawyer) so I thought I would add my two cents. It's been an ok experience so far, other than the violation of my 4th amendment rights (unwarranted search) at the front door. The concession in the lobby is great because I really needed that second cup of coffee! The jury waiting room is pleasant and comfortable, it's nicely appointed, quiet, warm, and separate bathrooms for the jurors. Chairs are comfortable as well and the person greeting us was very nice. Overall it's been a pleasant experience. I dinged them one star for no public WiFi and the virtual strip search at the entrance.

Was there only once and was surprised about service, despite a ton of complains. Starting from the…read moreguard and finishing with the court gentleman - everybody was kind and polite. I did not use an attorney, and it was a challenge for me to get through entire process, but with those people there it was so easy, I am so satisfied!

I had jury duty at Waltham District Court. Jurors arrive earlier than everyone else and are the…read moreonly ones allowed in past security from 8-8:30am. If you arrive earlier than 8am the door is closed and you must wait outside. The parking lot was fairly empty this early in the morning. When you enter the building, there are signs prohibiting cell phone use, food, and drinks, but the security guard told us that these rules don't pertain to the jury pool room (although you must silence your phone). After bag scan, the jury must take the elevator (not the stairs) up to the jury pool room. The door to the jury pool room closes at 8:55am at which point John the bailiff shows an introductory video - if you aren't in the room at this time, you have to come back a different day. Of 21 potential jurors called, only 15 reported. One of my fellow potential jurors was 80 years old and didn't realize jury duty is optional for senior citizens. The jury pool room is fairly small for 22 people and consists of about 25 chairs which are passably comfortable (for the first hour or so). In the jury pool room there is a bathroom with two toilets and two sinks, but only one potential juror is allowed to use the bathroom at a time. The bathroom was not particularly clean, but not ridiculously filthy. For amenities, the room has a water cooler, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a toaster, but power outlets are rare. There is a table which fits about 4 people. There are many different magazines you can read while you wait. John the bailiff helped pass some of the time by telling courtroom anecdotes, his point being that things don't always go as scheduled in the courtroom so potential jurors need to be flexible. I tried to nap during my wait, but couldn't find a relaxed position in the chairs and kept getting distracted by the bathroom door opening and closing. In the Waltham courthouse there is only one courtroom. Although the jurors arrived at 8am, the judge didn't show up until noon, at which point we had already all been waiting there for 4 hours. They told us this was unusual - on normal days the jury's role starts at 11:30am. They didn't explain why we have to be there 3.5 hours before we are potentially needed. There were 6 cases on the docket, but only one went to trial. We were told that only 1% of the court's cases end up with a jury trial. We were also told that jury pools are called only 50 times a year (one day a week), and that a trial only occurs 60% of those times. That means that out of the 50*21=1050 potential jurors which are called to the court in a given year, approximately 30*7=210 (20%) actually find themselves impaneled on a jury. On our day there was a trial but I was not impaneled. At about 12:45, all potential jurors were brought into court with the judge, clerk, defendant, attorneys, witnesses and another bailiff, Joe. There was no bathroom availability in the courtroom but I didn't ask what happens if someone has to use the bathroom once they are in the courtroom. At this point, the judge and attorneys go through each juror's survey and ask relevant questions to establish impartiality. Potential jurors are questioned in private (away from other jurors) at the judge's sidebar. At this point, I was briefly placed on the jury, but then immediately removed, perhaps as one of the two juror vetoes allowed by each side's attorneys. I was not told why I was removed or by whom. After the jury was chosen, the courtroom broke for lunch, after which the trial proceeds with 5-7 jurors. On my day, only 6 potential jurors out of the 15 who reported were needed for jury duty. Everyone else (including me) was dismissed at this point because our services were unneeded. When I was able to go home it was 1:15pm, which means I was sitting at the courthouse for 5-1/4 hours. Other than a parking lot, there was not much in the area of the court house. Across the street is a Dunkin Donuts, a CVS, a Petco, and a gasoline station. If you don't have a car, and don't want lunch from Dunkin Donuts, then you should bring your own lunch.

I feel the need to disinfect myself after being in this courthouse, and I didn't even sit down…read more Just taking my phone and keys out of my purse was enough when they had to go through the x-ray machine. After retrieving the purse, I then walked into the waiting area (I guess you would call it that) that looked like a casting call for both the Jerry Springer and Maury Povich shows. I know Middlesex is a huge county so it's going to be a scene and crowded, but really..... really??? Thankfully, I found my way upstairs to the file clerk, looked up what I needed (annoying state worker, as well) and got the hell out of there. As a side note, when I was on a jury for two weeks many years ago in Suffolk County, I thought we were living pretty well; compared to this hell hole, Suffolk County is Taj Mahal.

OMG. I we pay these people with our tax dollars?…read more I just had the rudest telephone call I have ever had with a public office. Me: Hello. I am a Cambridge resident and have a question regarding whether my lawyer (no longer practicing) has filed my will with your offices. Where do I begin? Clerk: No Me: No? Clerk: No. Me: That's is your answer: Just No? Clerk: That's it. Me: Wait. I am trying to find out how I go about finding out whether my will is filed. What do you mean "no"? Clerk: Because the answer is no. Me: What?! This isn't helpful. How do I find this information out? Clerk: I am not allowed to give out any information about wills. Clerk and Me: Silence. Me: Yes. So? Clerk: You have to come down in person and show ID and then we'll run your name by. Me: That would have been the helpful answer from the beginning. Goodbye. I can't wait for this trip to the Probate and Family Court......

Courthouse, sad place. No one is happy, well, because, they are in court before a judge that you…read morecan barely hear or understand.

It is hard to review a courthouse, but here goes. The old Cambridge court house used to be so easy…read moreto get to, just off Lechmere on the green line. Now located in Medford, on the Mystic Valley Pkway, not as easy to access. (Bus only). Very limited parking for the amount of traffic they handle. We arrived at 9AM to find a full parking lot, so we had to drive up a few blocks and park in 2 hour parking. Staff is not the friendliest or most helpful ( I do not hang out in court houses so sorry if I need to ask for directions). As we waited in a very crowded waiting area (too small and not enough chairs for the amount of people waiting for traffic court), we saw many, stressed out people that were running late for court because there was NO parking. Great move to Medford, thumbs up!!!

Judge Braga was excellent. This is a nice facility in a kind of beat-up town. I'm thinking Brockton…read moreis the east coast version of Stockton, CA.

Had to appear for Jury Duty. Employees are pleasant, they empathize with your plight. No wi-fi,…read morelimited outlets, uncomfortable seating. Parking across the street is limited, get there early. I served my first JD in this same courthouse in 1988, they haven't changed a single thing! It's still the outdated firetrap that it was then. I've also served in Plymouth, Wareham and Taunton. Brockton is by far the worst, I don't think they've sunk a cent into maintaining this dump. I know you're wondering: no, I did not sit on a trial, I was out by 9:30. That's 7 and 0 for me.

I exercised my civic responsibility performing jury duty. The courthouse had a special room where…read moreall the juror's congregated. They showed us a video before we were sent to a courtroom for evaluation. They filled the jury before they reached me so I never had to sit as a juror. They had plenty of parking which is key If one has to do jury duty, I find this courthouse preferable since it is right off the highway, nice facilities, and interesting cases..

There are lots of very informative reviews here! I wanted to add that those reviews are still…read moreaccurate in 2025, and definitely helped me out as a first-time juror. Just a few notes: 1. There is Wi-Fi. Strong signal, fast connection. The reminder email warns that "most courts do not have wifi," but this one does. Phone signal was fine, too. 2. If you fill out the online Confidential Juror Questionnaire, don't forget to sign it after printing it out. They also have paper copies at the courthouse, but you may lose your place in line while you're filling it out. 3. The "jury pool" is a big lecture-style conference room (i.e. rows of chairs). There are outlets along the right-hand wall, so arrive a bit early if you want one of those. The chairs seemed pretty new and were reasonably comfortable, but next time I'll probably bring one of those $15 portable cushions. 4. Echoing the other reviewers, everyone really was exceptionally pleasant! They genuinely make you feel that you're performing an honorable service that's deserving of respect, whether you're eventually chosen or not.