The 173rd Massachusetts General Court, consisting of the Massachusetts Senate and the Massachusetts House of Representatives, met in 1983 and 1984 during the governorship of Michael Dukakis. William Bulger served as president of the Senate and Thomas W. McGee served as speaker of the House.

William Michael Bulger is an American former Democratic politician, lawyer, and educator from South Boston, Massachusetts. His eighteen-year tenure as President of the Massachusetts Senate is the longest in history. After leaving office, he became president of the University of Massachusetts.