Outcomes for December 2021

Residential summary process: Outcomes Report This report examines cases filed at least one year before reading, for which outcomes were largely known. Search Period Start: 2021-12-01 Search Period End: 2021-12-31 Earliest Case: 2021-12-01 Latest Case: 2021-12-31 Total Cases: 1937 Total Transfers: 62 -- High-level take-aways: Percentage of landlords for whom attorney is optional: 36.1% Of those, percentage pro se: 42.9% Most common cause: Non-payment Least stable municipality/neighborhood: Pocasset Least stable with 10+ filings: North Adams Least stable with 100+ filings: Springfield Least stable county: Berkshire Cases per day: 64 Housing crisis baseline max cases per day (UCL): 130 Housing crisis baseline min cases per day (LCL): 44 The number of filings this period is not statistically different from the pre-pandemic housing crisis baseline. -- Courts (n) Count Percent central 320 16.5% northeast 313 16.2% western 305 15.7% southeast 276 14.2% eastern 266 13.7% metro_south 163 8.4% quincy district 35 1.8% northern berkshire district 24 1.2% lynn district 17 0.9% fall river district 15 0.8% fallmouth district 15 0.8% lawrence district 13 0.7% malden district 13 0.7% attleboro district 12 0.6% lowell district 10 0.5% new bedford district 10 0.5% waltham district 10 0.5% chelsea district 9 0.5% barnstable district 8 0.4% plymouth district 8 0.4% brockton district 7 0.4% somerville district 7 0.4% bmc east boston 6 0.3% haverhill district 5 0.3% palmer district 5 0.3% pittsfield district 5 0.3% springfield district 5 0.3% wareham district 5 0.3% bmc brighton 4 0.2% bmc west roxbury 4 0.2% cambridge district 4 0.2% woburn district 4 0.2% ayer district 3 0.2% holyoke district 3 0.2% newburyport district 3 0.2% orleans district 3 0.2% clinton district 2 0.1% concord district 2 0.1% framingham district 2 0.1% milford district 2 0.1% salem district 2 0.1% bmc south boston 1 0.1% edgartown district 1 0.1% gloucester district 1 0.1% hingham district 1 0.1% nantucket district 1 0.1% newton district 1 0.1% peabody district 1 0.1% southern berkshire district 1 0.1% stoughton district 1 0.1% taunton district 1 0.1% westfield district 1 0.1% wrentham district 1 0.1% Party Type (n) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 1237 5 Natural Person 700 1932 Total 1937 1937 (%) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 63.9% 0.3% Natural Person 36.1% 99.7% Total 100.0% 100.0% Plaintiff Representation (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 1199 38 1237 Optional 400 300 700 Total 1599 338 1937 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 61.9% 2.0% 63.9% Optional 20.7% 15.5% 36.1% Total 82.6% 17.4% 100.0% Defendant Representation Note: Limited Assistance Representation should be reflected here. Tenancy preservation or other social services may not be reflected. (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 0 5 5 Optional 160 1772 1932 Total 160 1777 1937 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 0.0% 0.3% 0.3% Optional 8.3% 91.5% 99.7% Total 8.3% 91.7% 100.0% Number of Adults in Households Count Percent 0 110 5.7% 1 1250 64.5% 2 459 23.7% 3 80 4.1% 4 29 1.5% 5 8 0.4% 6 1 0.1% Total 1937 100.0% Note: Households may appear with zero adults due to clerical delay entering known defendants, identity protection obscuring known defendants (e.g., 42 USC Sections 13701 through 1404 Violence Against Women Act), or no adult defendants (e.g., abandonment of minors). Initiating Action Count Percent Non-payment 1147 59.2% Cause 383 19.8% No Fault 374 19.3% Foreclosure 32 1.7% Unknown/Other 1 0.1% Rate per 100,000 Municipality Residents Count Pocasset 311 9 Tolland 206 1 North Adams 189 26 Chestnut Hill 141 3 Heath 141 1 Florida 132 1 East Falmouth 121 7 Southbridge 119 20 Florence 105 1 Berlin 104 3 Fall River 101 90 Hatfield 89 3 Webster 89 15 Springfield 88 135 West Warren 88 1 New Bedford 87 83 Gardner 84 17 Sunderland 81 3 Royalston 79 1 Charlemont 78 1 Pittsfield 78 35 West Chatham 78 1 West Stockbridge 76 1 Fitchburg 74 30 Holyoke 72 29 Wellfleet 72 2 Indian Orchard 69 7 Provincetown 67 2 Braintree 64 23 Orange 63 5 East Taunton 62 4 Salisbury 60 5 Marlborough 59 23 Greenfield 57 10 Rockland 57 10 Great Barrington 56 4 Hyannis 56 8 West Yarmouth 56 3 Erving 55 1 Chelsea 54 19 Buckland 52 1 Vineyard Haven 52 1 Lowell 51 55 Newton Center 51 2 Rowley 51 3 South Yarmouth 51 6 Worcester 51 93 Methuen 50 24 Brockton 49 46 Mattapoisett 49 3 Quincy 49 46 West Springfield 49 14 Revere 48 25 Turners Falls 48 2 Winchendon 48 5 Bernardston 46 1 Randolph 46 15 Dorchester 45 42 West Dennis 45 1 Clinton 44 6 East Boston 44 18 Haverhill 44 27 Swampscott 43 6 Whitinsville 43 3 Lynn 42 38 Lawrence 41 32 Leominster 41 17 Mattapan 41 15 Whitman 41 6 East Freetown 40 2 Ware 40 4 Framingham 39 27 Newtonville 38 2 Abington 37 6 North Falmouth 37 1 Andover 36 12 Plainville 36 3 Everett 35 15 North Andover 35 10 Allston 34 10 Mendon 34 2 North Attleborough 34 10 Three Rivers 34 1 Woburn 34 13 Hyde Park 32 11 Wakefield 32 8 Dennis Port 31 1 Merrimac 31 2 Ipswich 30 4 Middleborough 30 7 Newbury 30 2 North Easton 30 4 Plymouth 30 17 Roxbury 30 18 Saugus 30 8 Sheffield 30 1 Taunton 30 17 Buzzards Bay 29 1 Dalton 29 2 Jamaica Plain 29 11 Princeton 29 1 Chicopee 28 16 East Sandwich 28 1 Jefferson 28 1 Lakeville 28 3 Milford 28 8 Attleborough 27 12 Holbrook 27 3 Shirley 27 2 South Dennis 27 1 Wrentham 27 3 Ayer 26 2 Hudson 26 5 Athol 25 3 Malden 25 15 Spencer 25 3 Stoughton 25 7 Watertown 25 8 Lancaster 24 2 Waltham 24 15 Adams 23 2 Canton 23 5 Stoneham 23 5 Bridgewater 22 6 Littleton 22 2 Newburyport 22 4 West Roxbury 22 7 Mashpee 21 3 North Dartmouth 21 5 Salem 21 9 Belchertown 20 3 Brighton 20 9 Marblehead 20 4 Marion 20 1 Marstons Mills 20 1 Paxton 20 1 Hampden 19 1 Hull 19 2 Maynard 19 2 Nantucket 19 2 Northbridge 19 3 Warren 19 1 Acton 18 4 Dorchester Center 18 17 Ludlow 18 4 North Billerica 18 2 Dudley 17 2 Feeding Hills 17 2 Pepperell 17 2 Roslindale 17 5 South Hadley 17 3 Winthrop 17 3 Belmont 16 4 Dracut 16 5 Hopedale 16 1 Lee 16 1 Medford 16 9 Westborough 16 3 Beverly 15 6 Danvers 15 4 Groveland 15 1 Wayland 15 2 Billerica 14 6 East Weymouth 14 8 Melrose 14 4 Rockport 14 1 Shrewsbury 14 5 Somerville 14 11 West Bridgewater 14 1 Westfield 14 6 Wilbraham 14 2 East Wareham 13 3 Gloucester 13 4 Halifax 13 1 Hingham 13 3 Peabody 13 7 Upton 13 1 Wilmington 13 3 Ashland 12 2 Bellingham 12 2 East Templeton 12 1 Franklin 12 4 Mansfield 12 3 Millis 12 1 Rutland 12 1 Blackstone 11 1 Foxborough 11 2 Marshfield 11 3 Monson 11 1 Sudbury 11 2 Weymouth 11 6 Amherst 10 4 Brewster 10 1 Needham Heights 10 3 Norton 10 2 Southwick 10 1 Acushnet 9 1 Arlington 9 4 Cherry Valley 9 1 Falmouth 9 3 Leicester 9 1 Sandwich 9 2 Wareham 9 2 Winchester 9 2 Carver 8 1 Chelmsford 8 3 Dedham 8 2 Easton 8 2 Harwich 8 1 Reading 8 2 Tyngsborough 8 1 Cambridge 7 8 Charlton 7 1 E. Boston 7 3 Kingston 7 1 Millbury 7 1 Northborough 7 1 Oxford 7 1 Raynham 7 1 Uxbridge 7 1 Amesbury 6 1 Auburn 6 1 East Longmeadow 6 1 Easthampton 6 1 Hopkinton 6 1 Natick 6 2 Needham 6 2 Norwood 6 2 Westport 6 1 Boston 5 31 Brookline 5 3 Charlestown 5 1 Holden 5 1 Somerset 5 1 South Dartmouth 5 2 Walpole 4 1 East Walpole 3 1 Milton 3 1 Newton Highlands 3 3 Tewksbury 3 1 South Boston 2 1 North Weymouth 1 1 Roxbury Crossing 1 1 South Weymouth 1 1 (not given) 0 25 span 0 1 Rate per 100,000 residents based on 2010 census. Municipalities do not appear if no evictions filed. Where neighborhoods are commonly recognized as municipalities, data appears under the neighborhood rather than the legal entity (e.g., "Roxbury" is separate from "Boston".) Where municipalities have alternate spellings (e.g., Marlboro for Marlborough), totals appear under the long form. Efforts are made to correct clerical errors in the court database, but clerical errors may appear. Rate per 100,000 County Renter Households Count Berkshire 452 73 Hampden 310 221 Bristol 291 240 Barnstable 284 55 Plymouth 282 122 Franklin 237 25 Worcester 233 260 Essex 194 214 Norfolk 173 148 Suffolk 125 247 Middlesex 121 284 Hampshire 103 19 Nantucket 56 2 Dukes 24 1 Rate per 100,000 renter households based on 2019 ACS. Counties appear even if no evictions filed. OUTCOMES Concluded cases are 'disposed'. Not all cases were disposed at time of reading. Cases are read approximately 18 months after filing. Court Record Reads This Report Reads Stipulation of Dismissal Dismissed Voluntary Dismissal Dismissed Dismissal Dismissed Agreement for Judgment Mediated Agreement Mediated Judgment by Default Defaulted Findings Heard Order Heard Disposed Heard (unrecognized) Other Dismissals: Stipulations of dismissal are not legally the same as voluntary dismissals, but both are treated here as scenarios in which either money has been paid or cause cured. Mediation: Agreements are not legally the same as agreements for judgment, but both are treated here as mediations in which a tenancy may be preserved; judgment or execution may enter thereafter, looked at separately. Tenancy preservation program is generally not visible, may influence either mediation or dismissal. Some disposed cases may have a judgment entered. Judgments may be for money only, money and possession, or possession only. Some judgments for possession may result in an execution. Dispositions Count Percentage Disposed 1643 84.8% Ongoing/Error 294 15.2% Cases not yet disposed were either ongoing at time of reading or left open due to clerical error only. Note that agreements for judgment may not all be filed properly, and that mediations may be undercounted. By outcome, as a percent of disposed cases: Count Percentage Dismissed 626 38.1% Mediated 500 30.4% Defaulted 426 25.9% Heard 91 5.5% Other 0 0.0% Total 1643 100.0% Outcome by reason: Dismissed Defaulted Mediated Heard Other Cause 77 72 118 29 0 Foreclosure 5 11 11 2 0 No Fault 95 78 171 14 0 Non-payment 449 265 200 46 0 Unknown/Other 0 0 0 0 0 Outcome by reason, as a percent of disposed cases: Dismissed Defaulted Mediated Heard Other Cause 4.7% 4.4% 7.2% 1.8% 0.0% Foreclosure 0.3% 0.7% 0.7% 0.1% 0.0% No Fault 5.8% 4.7% 10.4% 0.9% 0.0% Non-payment 27.3% 16.1% 12.2% 2.8% 0.0% Unknown/Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Judgments The financial obligation of one party to another, net of counterclaims. Judgments recorded for the plaintiff may be lower than total eviction costs (e.g., moving and storage often not included). Judgments may not be ordered paid if the debtor receives any form of public assistance. Otherwise, judgments are enforceable any time in the 20 years after issuance. Judgments of small amounts typically reflect court filing fees rather than rent arrears. Mediated agreements for judgment are judgments; otherwise mediated agreements are not recorded. Amounts in excess of 100% of cases disposed indicate a judgment was inferred from the docket history but no dollar amount was entered and the case was not yet disposed. Count Percentage of Disposed Percentage of Filed Judgment entered 419 25.5% 21.6% Judgment inferred 94 5.7% 4.9% No judgment 1130 68.8% 58.3% Total 1643 100.0% 26.5% Judgments by reason, where dollar figures are known, as a percent of disposed cases: Count Percentage Min Max Average Std Dev Total Cause 80 4.9% 0 11,655 1,287 2,433 102,988 Foreclosure 12 0.7% 214 82,650 7,852 22,689 94,227 No fault 105 6.4% 0 17,314 3,242 4,186 340,432 Non-payment 222 13.5% 0 88,268 8,117 11,182 1,802,140 Subtotal 419 25.5% 0 88,268 5,584 9,744 2,339,788 Judgments by outcome, where dollar figures are known, as a percent of disposed cases: Count Percentage Min Max Average Std dev Total Dismissed 37 2.3% 196 15,307 3,625 3,670 134,131 Defaulted 212 12.9% 0 88,268 5,732 10,434 1,215,202 Mediated 149 9.1% 0 82,801 5,768 9,980 859,490 Heard 21 1.3% 0 25,724 6,236 7,575 130,965 Subtotal 419 25.5% 0 88,268 5,584 9,744 2,339,788 By prevailing party, as a percent of disposed cases: Count Percentage of Judgments Percentage of Disposed Percentage of Filed defendant 2 0.4% 0.1% 0.1% plaintiff 453 88.3% 27.6% 23.4% unknown 58 11.3% 3.5% 3.0% Total 513 100.0% 31.2% 26.5% Judgments All Cases: Count: 419 Range: 0.000 - 88268.780; Mean: 5584.222; Median: 2669.160; Stddev: 9756.600 Percentiles: 90th: 13935.270; 95th: 20027.230; 99th: 52355.090 0.000 - 80.079: 1 # 80.079 - 175.337: 8 #### 175.337 - 382.510: 101 ##################################################### 382.510 - 833.085: 13 ####### 833.085 - 1813.028: 36 ################### 1813.028 - 3944.278: 66 ################################### 3944.278 - 8579.472: 99 #################################################### 8579.472 - 18660.426: 51 ########################### 18660.426 - 40585.204: 19 ########## 40585.204 - 88268.780: 5 ### Judgments By Reason Cause: Count: 80 Range: 0.000 - 11655.540; Mean: 1287.354; Median: 229.515; Stddev: 2449.029 Percentiles: 90th: 5398.660; 95th: 6934.200; 99th: 11655.540 0.000 - 251.921: 38 ##################################################### 251.921 - 386.104: 9 ############# 386.104 - 591.475: 1 # 591.475 - 905.803: 2 ### 905.803 - 1386.892: 3 #### 1386.892 - 2123.215: 3 #### 2123.215 - 3250.181: 2 ### 3250.181 - 4975.042: 2 ### 4975.042 - 7614.998: 6 ######## 7614.998 - 11655.540: 3 #### Foreclosure: Count: 12 Range: 214.340 - 82650.590; Mean: 7852.332; Median: 232.810; Stddev: 23698.155 Percentiles: 90th: 9267.320; 95th: 82650.590; 99th: 82650.590 214.340 - 389.425: 10 ##################################################### 389.425 - 13866.982: 1 ##### 13866.982 - 82650.590: 1 ##### No Fault: Count: 105 Range: 0.000 - 17314.130; Mean: 3242.214; Median: 1585.000; Stddev: 4206.116 Percentiles: 90th: 7803.200; 95th: 13935.270; 99th: 16800.000 0.000 - 227.108: 33 ##################################################### 227.108 - 368.029: 7 ########### 368.029 - 596.009: 2 ### 596.009 - 964.832: 1 ## 964.832 - 1561.509: 4 ###### 1561.509 - 2526.802: 8 ############# 2526.802 - 4088.439: 12 ################### 4088.439 - 6614.831: 18 ############################# 6614.831 - 10701.989: 8 ############# 10701.989 - 17314.130: 7 ########### Non-payment: Count: 222 Range: 0.000 - 88268.780; Mean: 8117.748; Median: 4908.000; Stddev: 11207.407 Percentiles: 90th: 18692.610; 95th: 25724.880; 99th: 58603.410 0.000 - 80.079: 1 # 80.079 - 175.337: 1 # 175.337 - 382.510: 11 ######### 382.510 - 833.085: 8 ###### 833.085 - 1813.028: 24 ################### 1813.028 - 3944.278: 45 #################################### 3944.278 - 8579.472: 67 ##################################################### 8579.472 - 18660.426: 38 ############################## 18660.426 - 40585.204: 19 ############### 40585.204 - 88268.780: 4 ### Judgments By Outcome Dismissed: Count: 37 Range: 196.660 - 15307.290; Mean: 3625.164; Median: 2955.690; Stddev: 3721.401 Percentiles: 90th: 8833.080; 95th: 14325.100; 99th: 15307.290 196.660 - 304.365: 9 ##################################################### 304.365 - 1124.957: 2 ############ 1124.957 - 1738.493: 4 ######################## 1738.493 - 2686.346: 2 ############ 2686.346 - 4150.684: 7 ######################################### 4150.684 - 6412.943: 8 ############################################### 6412.943 - 9907.910: 3 ################## 9907.910 - 15307.290: 2 ############ Defaulted: Count: 212 Range: 0.000 - 88268.780; Mean: 5732.086; Median: 2821.640; Stddev: 10459.315 Percentiles: 90th: 13002.840; 95th: 20434.280; 99th: 52355.090 0.000 - 268.556: 50 ################################################### 268.556 - 511.993: 9 ######### 511.993 - 975.279: 8 ######## 975.279 - 1856.960: 15 ############### 1856.960 - 3534.892: 26 ########################### 3534.892 - 6728.171: 52 ##################################################### 6728.171 - 12805.316: 23 ####################### 12805.316 - 24370.756: 15 ############### 24370.756 - 46380.996: 5 ##### 46380.996 - 88268.780: 3 ### Mediated: Count: 149 Range: 0.000 - 82801.740; Mean: 5768.391; Median: 2394.270; Stddev: 10014.487 Percentiles: 90th: 13935.270; 95th: 20172.300; 99th: 58603.410 0.000 - 79.562: 1 ## 79.562 - 173.096: 3 ##### 173.096 - 375.224: 34 ##################################################### 375.224 - 812.024: 4 ###### 812.024 - 1755.954: 14 ###################### 1755.954 - 3795.795: 22 ################################## 3795.795 - 8203.915: 31 ################################################ 8203.915 - 17729.907: 18 ############################ 17729.907 - 38315.676: 10 ################ 38315.676 - 82801.740: 2 ### Heard: Count: 21 Range: 0.000 - 25724.880; Mean: 6236.441; Median: 1496.270; Stddev: 7762.169 Percentiles: 90th: 16654.630; 95th: 16747.160; 99th: 25724.880 0.000 - 236.320: 4 ##################################################### 236.320 - 398.438: 2 ########################### 398.438 - 1903.560: 1 ############# 1903.560 - 5394.416: 2 ########################### 5394.416 - 9080.133: 1 ############# 9080.133 - 15283.637: 3 ######################################## 15283.637 - 25724.880: 4 ##################################################### Executions A levy of execution is a forced (court ordered) move-out, what is commonly meant by "eviction". If an execution is requested but not issued, the court has denied the landlord's request. If an execution is issued but not levied, the renters have left on their own. If an execution is levied, the renters and their belongings were removed per the move-and-store laws. Possession of the housing was returned to the owner. It is not possible to know from court records whether belongings were stored in a licensed and bonded warehouse (renter has not yet obtained new housing) or delivered per the renter's instructions (renter has obtained new housing). The landlord customarily pays for the cost of moving and storage. Executions are considered levied if a return of service appears in the record. Executions for possession only must be returned to the court even if not actually served. Executions for money may be kept (not returned) for attempts to collect. Percentages of judgments in excess of 100% indicate that the judgment for one or more cases was not officially recorded when the record was examined, or was recorded ambiguously. Count Percentage of Judgments Percentage of Disposed Percentage of Filed Requested 438 85.4% 26.7% 22.6% Issued 354 69.0% 21.5% 18.3% Levied 85 16.6% 5.2% 4.4% Levied by reason: Count Percentage of Levied Percentage of Judgments Percentage of Disposed Percentage of Filed Cause 20 23.5% 3.9% 1.2% 1.0% Foreclosure 6 7.1% 1.2% 0.4% 0.3% No Fault 26 30.6% 5.1% 1.6% 1.3% Non-payment 33 38.8% 6.4% 2.0% 1.7% Unknown/Other 0 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% All Reasons 85 100.0% 16.6% 5.2% 4.4% Read as X% of cases filed are levied for nonpayment, for example. Levied by outcome: Count Percentage of Levied Percentage of Judgments Percentage of Disposed Percentage of Filed Dismissed 7 8.2% 1.4% 0.4% 0.4% Defaulted 49 57.6% 9.6% 3.0% 2.5% Mediated 26 30.6% 5.1% 1.6% 1.3% Heard 3 3.5% 0.6% 0.2% 0.2% Other 0 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% All Outcomes 85 100.0% 16.6% 5.2% 4.4% Read as X% of cases filed are levied following default, for example. Conditional probabilities: 'Given a case is about X, what are the odds of a forced move-out?' Levies Filings Percentage Chance Foreclosure 6 32 18.8% No Fault 26 374 7.0% Cause 20 383 5.2% Non-payment 33 1147 2.9% Unknown/Other 0 1 0.0% Percentage chance is not intended to be summed across reasons. Conditional probabilities: 'Given a case ends with X, what are the odds of a forced move-out?' Levies Filings Percentage Chance Defaulted 49 426 11.5% Mediated 26 500 5.2% Heard 3 91 3.3% Dismissed 7 626 1.1% Other 0 0 0.0% Percentage chance is not intended to be summed across outcomes. Causality cannot be inferred from this data (e.g., did mediation prevent a levy? or was mediation avoided because one party assumed a levy was inevitable?). Court Duration for Disposed Cases (days) Nothing leading up to the filing of the summary process case is considered. Nothing following the summary process case is considered. Excludes grace period, notice period, and entry delays. Excludes execution and appeal period, if any. Actual eviction duration will be at least 40 days longer than indicated for a 30 day notice to quit and 10 day appeal period. Zero may indicate either 0 or no data, see histogram below. (days) Shortest Longest Average Std Dev Cause 4 662 105 103 Non-payment 0 662 91 72 No Fault 2 573 110 89 Foreclosure 19 574 115 116 Unknown/Other 0 0 0 0 All Reasons 0 662 98 84 (days) Shortest Longest Average Std Dev Dismissed 0 548 91 71 Defaulted 15 551 89 65 Mediated 7 662 113 103 Heard 1 518 105 112 Other 0 0 0 0 All Outcomes 0 662 98 84 All Cases: Count: 1643 Range: 0.000 - 662.000; Mean: 98.562; Median: 78.000; Stddev: 84.225 Percentiles: 90th: 180.000; 95th: 251.000; 99th: 511.000 0.000 - 2.573: 5 | 2.573 - 5.384: 4 | 5.384 - 10.407: 10 # 10.407 - 19.381: 51 #### 19.381 - 35.414: 171 ############## 35.414 - 64.061: 334 ########################## 64.061 - 115.243: 671 ##################################################### 115.243 - 206.691: 265 ##################### 206.691 - 370.078: 93 ####### 370.078 - 662.000: 38 ### By Reason Cause: Count: 296 Range: 4.000 - 662.000; Mean: 105.547; Median: 77.500; Stddev: 103.745 Percentiles: 90th: 204.000; 95th: 335.000; 99th: 579.000 4.000 - 7.151: 3 ## 7.151 - 12.289: 1 # 12.289 - 20.664: 7 #### 20.664 - 34.317: 33 ################# 34.317 - 56.576: 44 ###################### 56.576 - 92.863: 104 ##################################################### 92.863 - 152.021: 61 ############################### 152.021 - 248.462: 18 ######### 248.462 - 405.686: 15 ######## 405.686 - 662.000: 10 ##### Non-payment: Count: 960 Range: 0.000 - 662.000; Mean: 91.282; Median: 77.000; Stddev: 72.888 Percentiles: 90th: 159.000; 95th: 224.000; 99th: 441.000 0.000 - 2.573: 4 # 2.573 - 5.384: 3 | 5.384 - 10.407: 8 # 10.407 - 19.381: 37 ##### 19.381 - 35.414: 95 ############# 35.414 - 64.061: 209 ############################ 64.061 - 115.243: 391 ##################################################### 115.243 - 206.691: 155 ##################### 206.691 - 370.078: 45 ###### 370.078 - 662.000: 12 ## No Fault: Count: 358 Range: 2.000 - 573.000; Mean: 110.950; Median: 85.000; Stddev: 89.633 Percentiles: 90th: 219.000; 95th: 270.000; 99th: 511.000 2.000 - 4.073: 1 | 4.073 - 13.510: 2 # 13.510 - 23.538: 5 ## 23.538 - 40.497: 41 ################ 40.497 - 69.177: 66 ######################### 69.177 - 117.679: 139 ##################################################### 117.679 - 199.703: 62 ######################## 199.703 - 338.416: 31 ############ 338.416 - 573.000: 11 #### Foreclosure: Count: 29 Range: 19.000 - 574.000; Mean: 115.310; Median: 80.000; Stddev: 116.717 Percentiles: 90th: 244.000; 95th: 376.000; 99th: 574.000 19.000 - 26.983: 3 ####################### 26.983 - 38.152: 2 ############### 38.152 - 53.780: 1 ######## 53.780 - 75.645: 7 ##################################################### 75.645 - 106.238: 7 ##################################################### 106.238 - 149.042: 4 ############################## 149.042 - 208.931: 1 ######## 208.931 - 292.725: 2 ############### 292.725 - 409.964: 1 ######## 409.964 - 574.000: 1 ######## By Outcome Dismissed: Count: 626 Range: 0.000 - 548.000; Mean: 91.663; Median: 76.000; Stddev: 71.321 Percentiles: 90th: 170.000; 95th: 246.000; 99th: 360.000 0.000 - 2.507: 4 # 2.507 - 5.148: 4 # 5.148 - 9.779: 9 ## 9.779 - 17.899: 22 ##### 17.899 - 32.136: 56 ############ 32.136 - 57.097: 100 ##################### 57.097 - 100.861: 248 ##################################################### 100.861 - 177.593: 125 ########################### 177.593 - 312.125: 46 ########## 312.125 - 548.000: 11 ## Defaulted: Count: 426 Range: 15.000 - 551.000; Mean: 89.390; Median: 80.500; Stddev: 65.356 Percentiles: 90th: 153.000; 95th: 204.000; 99th: 373.000 15.000 - 21.798: 9 ### 21.798 - 31.485: 32 ############ 31.485 - 45.288: 48 ################## 45.288 - 64.955: 56 ##################### 64.955 - 92.979: 139 ##################################################### 92.979 - 132.910: 86 ################################# 132.910 - 189.807: 30 ########### 189.807 - 270.879: 18 ####### 270.879 - 386.398: 4 ## 386.398 - 551.000: 4 ## Mediated: Count: 500 Range: 7.000 - 662.000; Mean: 113.796; Median: 83.000; Stddev: 103.301 Percentiles: 90th: 211.000; 95th: 322.000; 99th: 574.000 7.000 - 11.443: 1 | 11.443 - 18.354: 5 ## 18.354 - 29.104: 23 ######## 29.104 - 45.823: 46 ############### 45.823 - 71.829: 108 #################################### 71.829 - 112.278: 159 ##################################################### 112.278 - 175.192: 85 ############################ 175.192 - 273.049: 43 ############## 273.049 - 425.257: 13 #### 425.257 - 662.000: 17 ###### Heard: Count: 91 Range: 1.000 - 518.000; Mean: 105.253; Median: 72.000; Stddev: 112.685 Percentiles: 90th: 224.000; 95th: 435.000; 99th: 518.000 1.000 - 2.487: 1 ## 2.487 - 17.479: 6 ########### 17.479 - 31.218: 11 ##################### 31.218 - 55.171: 15 ############################ 55.171 - 96.932: 28 ##################################################### 96.932 - 169.742: 17 ################################ 169.742 - 296.683: 5 ######### 296.683 - 518.000: 8 ############### -- Data Sources (report errors to hello@masslandlords.net): County Data Households Percent Renters Barnstable 96,509 20.0% Berkshire 53,792 30.0% Bristol 220,528 37.3% Dukes 18,146 22.6% Essex 297,898 36.9% Franklin 30,927 34.1% Hampden 179,970 39.5% Hampshire 60,002 30.7% Middlesex 612,366 38.1% Nantucket 11,399 30.8% Norfolk 269,717 31.6% Plymouth 191,041 22.6% Suffolk 309,945 63.7% Worcester 316,162 35.2% County Households: 2019 ACS TableID S1101 County Households and Renters, Dukes and Nantucket: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dukescountymassachusetts County Households and Renters, Large Counties: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=S11&g=0400000US25.050000&d=ACS%201-Year%20Estimates%20Subject%20Tables&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S1101&hidePreview=true Dukes County Renters: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dukescountymassachusetts Nantucket County Renters: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/nantucketcountymassachusetts -- Methodology Publicly available records at MassCourts.org are read fully manually at two intervals: 1.) For a filings report, once within approximately one week of filing; 2.) For an outcomes report, once again approximately 12 to 18 months after filing. Cases are searched by 'case type' = 'summary process', party type = 'plaintiff' within date ranges, typically weekly. MassCourts.org displays matches, not cases. X plaintiffs on a single case result in X separate matches. Cases are manually de-duplicated. Where the number of matches exceeds the number displayed (e.g., 'Displaying 100 of 257 total matches.'), date ranges are reduced until all cases may be viewed. If the date range cannot be reduced (i.e., is one day) but matches still exceed the display limit of 100, then two additional passes are taken. First, municipalities are filtered in stages. Second, to capture cases with no municipality entered, the search switches from 'case type' to 'case number', guessing the missing numbers assuming serialized entry. This method results in 'matches' reconciled to case counts. This effort costs more than 1 FTE. Summary spreadsheets are produced by copying exactly what is read. The spreadsheets are processed using proprietary software. Repeated analyses of local spreadsheets does not burden the MassCourts servers. The software is developed using best practices for revision control and regression testing. Limitations: Data are snapshots. As such, we cannot track individual cases over time or produce real-time reports. MassLandlords does not have access to court databases beyond what is published in human readable form at MassCourts.org. As of this report, MassLandlords staff were not considering information available to attorneys (e.g., the contents of notices, discovery, evidence, etc.) but not available to the general public. All data presented here are readily verifiable at MassCourts.org without special permission. Information is not independently verified outside of the court record. For instance, clerical errors in address, omissions of a defendant, etc. are not readily verifiable. As this process matures, reporting algorithms may change. Transfers are counted as new cases. Clerical differences between original case and transfer (e.g., middle initial included then dropped; defendant dropped on transfer; street address spelling changed) as well as the potential for indefinite circular transferring (e.g., foreclosure cases moving between housing, land, and/or superior courts) make it very difficult to programmatically identify continuing matters. Methodology changes: 2022-03: Where docket history shows judgment and/or execution, but case has not been disposed, infer judgment and/or execution. 2022-05: Correct counting error in 'By prevailing party' section where agreement for judgment renders prevailing party unknown. Rows now sum to total. 2023-01: We now report dispositions on the basis of the last disposition found in a docket. Previously we were using a prioritized keyword match, which produced inaccurate results for complex cases. -- When Citing This Work, Please Credit: MassLandlords, Inc. Available online at https://masslandlords.net/policy/eviction-data/.