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!!!

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 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.

Nice modern building with free Wi-Fi. Jury waiting room is comfortable with restrooms right there…read more Dunkin' is across the street, and Katz bakery up the street.

I respect Chelsea court because this beautiful woman saved my daughter's life ,she took a seizure…read moreand my daughter said,"mom please my face feels tight and already she was not feeling well .i just want to say Thank you Ms.Karen your amazing and I wish all the Justices to the clerk's office to probation everyone was kind to me and I felt justice today .I like that in 23 or more years one thing when I raise my right hand I know the truth will utter the most truth will utter from my lips. GOD Bless all the good people in Chelsea District Court.

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.

We were greeted at the front desk of the Registry by Ms. Maria Curtatone, Register of Deeds. She…read morewas pleasant and wished us a Happy New Year. She listened to the purpose of our visit, and personally directed us to the correct administrator to take care of our paperwork. Our forms were processed expeditiously. Everyone was helpful and knowledgeable. Our drive from North Massachusetts to Cambridge was worth it!

I was just here yesterday to pick up some paperwork and I have never been to a government building…read morewhere everyone was SO HELPFUL! It was amazing. 4 different people helped me get to where I needed to go and they weren't impatient. They even walked me there! Way to go!

My first experience with jury duty. I got my card in the mail and thought "Is this a joke?"…read more I have to say though, although the experience was dull and the room was a bit claustrophobic, I was able to finish an entire book and we were released around 1. I had the rest of the day off to do as I pleased and was very happy. I never felt scared and the transport to and from on the bus was super easy. Overall, way better experience than I expected.

This court and its judges are top notch! I was more than impressed by the very professional but…read moresensitive way in which they handled my case. Hats off!

This is a court left back in time…read more The woodwork is amazing.. The stairs and the men's room not so much.. It's on the smaller size especially being in Boston. It's comprised of a few smaller offices, a Clerks office and a court room. There is absolutely zero parking unless you get lucky with a street spot (unlikely) or you walk 5-10 blocks. This court house has great character and must have seen some great cases in the past. FYI, The court room is located on the second floor and the elevator only goes up the first flight of stairs which puts you on the first floor. The staff are extra nice, at least the women I spoke to (Kudos to them for being very polite and professional). Anyone reading this, I hope your only reading my review for minor traffic incidents, if not, I hope you have a good Attorney. I give East Boston District Court 4 Stars...