Legal Memorandum: Dismissal of an Appeal in MA

Issue: Under Massachusetts law, should an appeal be dismissed if it is untimely?

           See Mass. R. App. P. 4(a); Boat Mondego, Inc. v. Fulham Bros., Inc., 6 Mass. App. Ct. 958, 383 N.E.2d 544, 545 (1978).  Although the trial court may extend the time within which to file an appeal, any such request must be made within the time permitted for taking an appeal.  Feakes v. Bozyczko, 373 Mass. 633, 369 N.E.2d 978, 979 n.1 (1977); Commonwealth v. Cresta, 16 Mass. App. Ct. 939, 451 N.E.2d 440, 442 (1983), review denied, 390 Mass. 1101, 453 N.E.2d 1231 (1983). 

An error by the clerk of court does not excuse the untimely filing of a notice of appeal.  Krupp v. Gulf Oil Corp., 29 Mass. App. Ct. 116, 557 N.E.2d 769, 772 (1990); Brown v. Quinn, 406 Mass. 641, 550 N.E.2d 134, 137 (1990).  If the appeal is untimely, the appellate court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine the errors assigned to the trial court.  Finn v. McNeil, 23 Mass. App. Ct. 367, 502 N.E.2d 557, 562 (1987). 

[…]