ABSTRACT
Thispaperexaminestherelationshipofresistancetopowerbydiscussingtheuseofcriminalcomplainthearingsbylow-incomeresidents ofawesternMassachusettsmilltown. 1Itfocusesonhowalegal procedureestablishedatthedistrictcourtforthegovernanceof"community"problems(thatis,neighborhoodanddomesticdisturbances amongtheworkingclassandwelfarepoor)issubvertedbythis"community,"whichmayuseitasawayofgoverningthecourtaswell. Thissimultaneousprocessofgovernanceandsubversionisadimension ofpoliciesthatrelegatetheproblemsofthepoorandthepropertyless to"lower"courts,andofanideologyofentitlementthatencourages themostdisenfranchisedcitizenstoseekjusticeincourtwhenitis unattainableelsewhere.Asaconsequence,officialsatthelowestlevels ofthelegalsystemarelockedintoperpetualconversationwiththese citizens,throughwhichsharedunderstandingsaboutcrimeandnuisanceandabouttheworkof"lower"courtsinhandlingnuisance casesareproduced.Theseunderstandingsprovidethebasisbothfor governancebythecourtandgovernanceofthecourt.
