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Eviction in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth), Massachusetts

Where eviction cases are filed in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth), what it costs, local rent levels and where to get help — with the official court, county and HUD sources.

Quick facts: eviction in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)

Eviction court
Massachusetts Housing Court - Southeast Division (Plymouth Session) and Metro South Division (Brockton Session) — Housing Court (statewide specialized court, divisional sessions); District Court has concurrent jurisdiction Court page
Filing fee
$135 entry fee for a summary process (eviction) case in Housing Court ($120 + $15 surcharge); blank summons $5. eFiled cases also pay the eFiling provider's fee. Massachusetts Housing Court filing fees (M.G.L. c. 185C, s. 19)
Notice before filing (state law)
14 days' written notice to quit. For tenants at will: a tenant who has not received a similar notice in the previous 12 months can cure by paying the full rent due within 10 days after receiving the notice, and the notice must state this right. For tenants with a lease: the tenant can cure by paying all rent due, plus interest and costs, on or before the day the answer is due in the eviction case. Massachusetts rules
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2-bedroom (FY2026)
$2,311/month HUD
Renter households
45,476 (22% of households) Census ACS 2020–2024

Last verified against official sources: 2026-10-23

Where eviction cases are filed in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)

Eviction cases in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth) are heard by the Massachusetts Housing Court - Southeast Division (Plymouth Session) and Metro South Division (Brockton Session) (Housing Court (statewide specialized court, divisional sessions); District Court has concurrent jurisdiction).

Court eviction page · E-filing · Search court records · Self-help center

Plymouth Session (Southeast Housing Court) serves Carver, Duxbury, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham and Whitman (including villages such as Accord, Bryantville, Humarock, Manomet, Onset and West Wareham). Brockton Session (Metro South Housing Court) serves Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater and Whitman. Whitman appears on both sessions' lists; check with the clerk. The Plymouth Session lists hours of Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. but also says it is open Monday only, directing callers to the Fall River, New Bedford or Taunton sessions at other times; call before going. Landlords may instead file in the local District Court; a tenant sued there may transfer the case to the Housing Court.

How much it costs to file an eviction in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)

$135 entry fee for a summary process (eviction) case in Housing Court ($120 + $15 surcharge); blank summons $5. eFiled cases also pay the eFiling provider's fee.

Statewide schedule, same in every Housing Court division. Filing in a District Court instead costs $180 + $15 surcharge. Fee waivers for people who cannot pay are available under the state indigency statute; ask the clerk.

Source: Massachusetts Housing Court filing fees (M.G.L. c. 185C, s. 19)

How eviction cases work locally

Choice of courtLandlords may file residential evictions in the Housing Court division for the town, or in the local District Court; a tenant sued in District Court may transfer the case to the Housing Court. Only the Housing Court has Housing Specialists (mediators).
Source: Official source
Mandatory first-tier court event (mediation)Under Housing Court Standing Order 1-23, the clerk schedules a mandatory in-person first-tier court event 30-60 days after entry, where parties meet a court Housing Specialist to mediate and explore rental assistance. A tenant who doesn't appear may be defaulted; a landlord who doesn't appear may have the case dismissed.
Source: Official source
Nonpayment cases pending rental assistanceIn nonpayment cases the court must continue the case and stay execution while a tenant's emergency rental assistance application (e.g. RAFT) is pending, if the nonpayment was due to financial hardship (G.L. c. 239, s. 15).
Source: Official source
eFiling and eSummonseFiling is mandatory for attorneys in Housing Court summary process cases and optional for self-represented parties; the Summary Process Summons and Complaint can be bought online as an eSummons.
Source: Official source
Sealing eviction recordsThe Trial Court offers a process to petition to seal eviction court records.
Source: Official source

The Massachusetts eviction process

Massachusetts state law sets the notice periods and court steps everywhere in the state, including Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth):

  1. Notice to quit: 14 days for nonpayment, which must be accompanied by the EOHLC rental-assistance form (G.L. c. 186, § 31); otherwise generally 30 days or one rental period for a tenancy at will, or as the lease provides.
  2. After the notice expires, the landlord buys a Summary Process Summons and Complaint and has a sheriff or constable serve it on the tenant 7 to 30 days before the chosen Monday entry day.
  3. The landlord files (enters) the case by close of business on the Monday entry day, with the served summons and complaint, the notice to quit, and the fee.
  4. The tenant files an Answer (defenses, counterclaims, discovery requests) by the first Monday after the entry day. The trial is listed for the second Thursday after entry (or another designated day). Housing Court cases usually start with mediation.
  5. Judgment by agreement, bench trial, or jury trial. Nonpayment cases are continued and stayed while a tenant with financial hardship has a pending emergency rental assistance (RAFT) application (G.L. c. 239, § 15).
  6. Execution issues after the 10-day appeal period. The court may grant a stay of up to 6 months (up to 1 year for elderly or disabled tenants) in qualifying cases. The landlord has 3 months to use the execution.
  7. A sheriff or constable gives at least 2 days' written notice (excluding weekends and holidays), then removes the tenant on a weekday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Belongings go to a licensed storage facility.

Full Massachusetts eviction rules with sources →

Rent in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)

HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Brockton, MA HUD Metro FMR Area (the rent levels used for Section 8 vouchers):

Studio$1,631
1 bedroom$1,761
2 bedrooms$2,311
3 bedrooms$2,889
4 bedrooms$3,060

Source: HUD Fair Market Rent documentation

Median gross rent in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth): $1,747/month (Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

Plymouth County is split between HUD FMR areas by town. Shown: Brockton HMFA (Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanson, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Plympton, Rochester, West Bridgewater, Whitman). Also: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area (Carver, Duxbury, Hanover, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham): $2,359 / $2,476 / $2,941 / $3,526 / $3,894 (0-4 BR) - https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmrs/FY2026_code/2026summary.odn?cbsasub=METRO14460MM1120&year=2026&fmrtype=Final&selection_type=hmfa.

County tenant ordinance

No county-level landlord-tenant ordinance. Massachusetts county governments do not regulate tenancies; local rules (if any) are city/town ordinances.

Eviction help in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)

Free legal help

Rental assistance

Other Massachusetts counties

Related

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file an eviction in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)?
Eviction cases in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth) are filed with the Massachusetts Housing Court - Southeast Division (Plymouth Session) and Metro South Division (Brockton Session).
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)?
$135 entry fee for a summary process (eviction) case in Housing Court ($120 + $15 surcharge); blank summons $5. eFiled cases also pay the eFiling provider's fee.
Where can I get help with an eviction in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)?
South Coastal Counties Legal Services; Court Service Centers (Massachusetts Trial Court); RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition); Housing Court Housing Specialist Department.
What is the fair market rent in Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit is $2,311 per month (1-bedroom: $1,761).

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.