How long does a tenant have to respond to an eviction case in Massachusetts?

In Massachusetts, the time a tenant has to respond to an eviction case is governed by M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 11A, 12, 15F; c. 239, §§ 1, 8A; Uniform Summary Process Rules. The answer is due on the Monday before the entry date stated in the summons. A tenant who files an answer and a discovery request automatically postpones the trial by two weeks.

WhatMassachusetts
CourtHousing Court (preferred), District Court or Boston Municipal Court.

Notes

Massachusetts summary process is unusually technical: the notice to quit, the summons and complaint and the entry date each have their own timing, and a defect in any of them is fatal. A tenant who cures within the statutory period stops the case.

Source

M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 11A, 12, 15F; c. 239, §§ 1, 8A; Uniform Summary Process Rules — last checked 2026-09-16.

This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.

How Seayora uses this rule

Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.

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