Massachusetts Appeals Court March 22, 2001, No. 99-P-1071 (Commonwealth v. Williams)

In 1983, after completing a jury waiver form and admitting to sufficient facts to warrant a finding of guilty, see Mass.R.Crim.P. 12(a)(3), 378 Mass. 866 (1979), the defendant was found guilty by a judge sitting in the “first-tier” session of the District Court, see Costarelli, petitioner, 378 Mass. 516, 518 (1979), of possession of a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute, G. L.