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H 1860

An Act increasing the dispute limit for small claims court

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marc Lombardo and 1 co-sponsor

Massachusetts bill increasing small claims court monetary limit to expand affordable dispute resolution access for individuals and small businesses.

Hearing rescheduled to 11/04/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
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Bill Summary · H 1860

Legislative bill overview

H 1860 proposes to increase the monetary limit for cases that can be filed in Massachusetts small claims court. Small claims court is designed to provide accessible legal resolution for disputes without requiring attorneys. By raising this threshold, the bill would allow more disputes to be resolved through this simplified, lower-cost judicial process.

Why is this important

Small claims court provides faster, more affordable dispute resolution compared to regular civil court. Increasing the limit directly expands access to justice for individuals and small businesses with moderate-value disputes, potentially reducing court congestion in higher courts and lowering legal costs for litigants who cannot afford traditional attorneys.

Potential points of contention

  • Judicial workload concerns: Raising the limit increases the number of cases small claims courts must handle, potentially requiring additional resources and affecting processing times
  • Attorney access debate: Higher limits may reduce access to attorney representation since small claims procedures typically restrict or prohibit attorney participation, disadvantaging parties with complex disputes
  • Current limit not specified: The bill's actual proposed new limit is not detailed in available information, making it unclear how significant the change would be or what economic impact to expect

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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