Appeals Court Pilot Program Requiring Appellants to File Docketing Statements in Civil Appeals

Effective June 1, 2011, the Mass. Appeals Court will begin a pilot program requiring appellants to file docketing statements in all civil appeals. According to the court:

The docketing statement will provide the court with important background information that will be useful not only when the case is entered and screened, but also while it is under consideration. The pilot program, in turn, will help us to refine the format of the form and to determine if any adjustments are required. During the course of the pilot, the docketing statement will be posted on the Appeals Court website as a PDF form that will have drop-down menus, calendars, and text that will automatically fill in certain information. Attorneys and litigants will be able to complete and save the form and then file it by e-mail.

A sample of the form is included in the notice, but it does not include the drop-down menus and other advanced features at this time.