Massachusetts · Appellate litigation
Massachusetts Rule 30 motions for a new trial
General information about Massachusetts Rule 30 postconviction motions, new-trial proceedings, sentence correction, and appellate review.
Overview
Governing materials
Massachusetts Rule of Criminal Procedure 30 permits a person whose liberty is restrained under a criminal conviction to request release or correction of a sentence on specified legal grounds. Mass. R. Crim. P. 30(a).
Rule 30(b) states that a trial judge may grant a new trial if it appears that justice may not have been done. The rule also addresses affidavits, waiver, evidentiary hearings, findings, and appeals from final orders. Mass. R. Crim. P. 30(b)–(c).
Court and agency record
Common record categories
- The judgment, docket, and appellate record
- Prior motions, rulings, and transcripts
- Affidavits and documentary exhibits
- The order resolving the Rule 30 motion
Primary references
Official sources
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