---
title: "Maria Theophilis | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/maria-theophilis-ma"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Maria Theophilis

Massachusetts Housing Court · Justice

## Profile

- Court: Massachusetts Housing Court
- State: Massachusetts
- Role: Justice
- Service status: active

## Summary

Maria Theophilis — Massachusetts Housing Court

## Sources

- [Housing Court Justices](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/housing-court-justices)

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## Biography

### Professional career

- Nominated by Governor Charlie Baker to serve as a judge in the Boston Division of the Massachusetts Housing Court, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Chief Justice Steven D. Pierce
- She later served as an associate at Gordon, Mond & Ott before joining the Newton law firm Broderick Bancroft as an equity partner

### Education

- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the College of Wooster, followed by a law degree from New England Law School in 1999.

### Additional information

- Governor Baker highlighted her record of advocacy and experience in Housing Court as key qualifications for her judicial role
- focusing on civil litigation, subsidized housing, property management, housing discrimination law, and commercial leasing
- Began her legal career as a staff attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services
- representing tenants in eviction proceedings.
- Her extensive experience includes representing both tenants and landlords, giving her a balanced perspective on landlord-tenant disputes.
- As a Housing Court judge, Theophilis presides over civil and criminal actions, equitable relief, residential evictions, small claims, code enforcement actions, and appeals of local zoning board decisions.
- Theophilis was born in Boston
- Theophilis has been active in the legal community, serving as Co-Chair of the Middlesex committee of the Women’s Bar Association and presenting at numerous housing law trainings sponsored by the Boston Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project.



## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [Supreme Judicial Court Rule 1:19: Electronic access to the courts](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-20acbd9da185f40e1f10b2b2) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim.  Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.mass.gov/supreme-judicial-court-rules/supreme-judicial-court-rule-119-electronic-access-to-the-courts). Collected 2026-07-26.