United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
About This Court
Located in the First Circuit, the District of Massachusetts is a single-district court covering all six counties of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The court sits primarily in Boston, with additional courthouses in Springfield and Worcester to serve litigants across the state.
The District of Massachusetts is one of the busier federal district courts in the country, with a docket that reflects the region's concentration of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and financial services industries. The court has developed a notable reputation for handling complex intellectual property litigation, securities fraud cases, and health care matters.
The court has a long institutional history, dating to 1789, and has been the forum for many significant federal cases. Its bench has included influential jurists who have shaped federal law in the First Circuit and beyond.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Massachusetts.
Divisions
Boston Division (Boston), Worcester Division (Worcester), Springfield Division (Springfield)
Caseload
The court handles a significant volume of intellectual property, pharmaceutical patent, and securities litigation, consistent with Massachusetts's concentration of life sciences and financial services companies. It also processes a substantial number of federal criminal cases, including public corruption and organized crime matters.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or admitted pro hac vice for individual matters. Applicants for admission to the court's bar must comply with Local Rule 83.5, which includes a certification of good standing.
Clerk's Office
John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Way, Suite 2300, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 748-9152
Active Judges 21
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Burroughs | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| Denise Casper | Barack Obama | 2010 | Harvard Law School |
| Nathaniel Gorton | George H.W. Bush | 1992 | Columbia Law School |
| Margaret Guzman | Joseph R. Biden | 2023 | Boston University School of Law |
| Timothy Hillman | Barack Obama | 2012 | Suffolk University Law School |
| Myong Joun | Joseph R. Biden | 2023 | Suffolk University Law School |
| Angel Kelley | Joseph R. Biden | 2021 | Georgetown University Law Center |
| Julia Kobick | Joseph R. Biden | 2023 | Harvard Law School |
| Mark Mastroianni | Barack Obama | 2014 | Western New England College School of Law |
| Brian Murphy | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Columbia Law School |
| George O'Toole | William J. Clinton | 1995 | Harvard Law School |
| Michael Ponsor | William J. Clinton | 1994 | Yale Law School |
| Patti Saris | William J. Clinton | 1993 | Harvard Law School |
| F. Saylor | George W. Bush | 2004 | Harvard Law School |
| Leo Sorokin | Barack Obama | 2014 | Columbia Law School |
| Richard Stearns | William J. Clinton | 1993 | Harvard Law School |
| Indira Talwani | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of California, Berkeley, School of Law |
| Mark Wolf | Ronald Reagan | 1985 | Harvard Law School |
| Douglas Woodlock | Ronald Reagan | 1986 | Georgetown University Law Center |
| William Young | Ronald Reagan | 1985 | Harvard Law School |
| Rya Zobel | Jimmy Carter | 1979 | Harvard Law School |
Local Rules
106 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.
Civil Rules 39
Criminal Rules 18
General Rules 22
Attorney Rules 19
Patent Rules 1
| Rule | Title |
|---|---|
| 16.6 | PATENT PROCEEDINGS |