Massachusetts StatutesTITLE III DOMESTIC RELATIONS
- CHAPTER 207 MARRIAGE
- Section 1 Marriage of man to certain relatives
- Section 2 Marriage of woman to certain relatives
- Section 3 Application of Secs. 1 and 2
- Section 4 Polygamy
- Section 5 Repealed, 1986, 599, Sec. 52
- Section 6 Marriage during existence of former marriage; validity
- Section 7 Minors; solemnization of marriage
- Section 8 Marriages void without judgment
- Section 9 Repealed, 1977, 581, Sec. 1
- Section 10 Foreign marriages; validity
- Section 11 to 13 Repealed, 2008, 216, Sec. 1
- Section 14 Determination of validity
- Section 15 Issue of certain void marriages
- Section 16 Issue of marriage void by reason of nonage or insanity
- Section 17 Issue of marriage void by reason of prior marriage
- Section 18 Care and maintenance of children; power of court
- Section 19 Situs; time; fees
- Section 20 Written notice; oath
- Section 20A Repealed, 1981, 684, Sec. 14
- Section 20B Repealed, 1943, 561, Sec. 2
- Section 21, 22 Repealed, 1979, 376
- Section 23 Notice; time and situs of receiving
- Section 24 Nonage minors; receiving of notice; prohibition
- Section 25 Nonage minors; authorization of marriage
- Section 26 Notice without consent; liability; cancellation
- Section 27 Adopted persons
- Section 28 Certificate of intention of marriage; delivery; time
- Section 28A Repealed, 2004, 388
- Section 29 Certificate of intention of marriage; issuance to immigrants
- Section 30 Certificate of intention of marriage; dispensing with three days’ notice
- Section 31 Certificate of intention of marriage; prohibition of alteration
- Section 32 Repealed, 1981, 684, Sec. 15
- Section 33 Repealed, 1981, 684, Sec. 16
- Section 33A Proof of age
- Section 34 Minors residing in different towns; duplicate copies of notice of intention; fees
- Section 35 Refusal of certificate
- Section 36 Marriages without commonwealth by citizens; filing of certificate
- Section 37 Impediments to marriage; list; posting
- Section 38 Situs; persons authorized
- Section 39 Justice or non-resident clergymen
- Section 40 Records of marriages; keeping; returns
- Section 41 Imperfect certificates of marriage; correction
- Section 42 Irregular solemnization; validity of marriage
- Section 43 Marriage by consul
- Section 44 Fees
- Section 45 Record
- Section 46 Certificate of consul
- Section 47 Admissions; repute; cohabitation
- Section 47A Abolition of right
- Section 47B Alienation of affection and criminal conversation not actionable
- Section 48 Solemnization of marriage without authority
- Section 49 Joining persons in marriage without certificate
- Section 50 Repealed, 2008, 216, Sec. 2
- Section 51 Violation of certain provisions of this chapter
- Section 52 Violation of law concerning making notice of intention; false statements
- Section 53 Certificate of intention of marriage; issuance to nonage persons
- Section 54 Certificate of intention of marriage; illegal alteration
- Section 55 Repealed, 1946, 273, Sec. 2
- Section 56 Records and returns of marriages; failure to make
- Section 57 Certificate of intention of marriage; failure to return
- Section 58 Advertising to perform marriage ceremony; business cards
- CHAPTER 208 DIVORCE
- Section 1 General provisions
- Section 1A Irretrievable breakdown of marriage; commencement of action; complaint accompanied by statement and dissolution agreement; procedure
- Section 1B Irretrievable breakdown of marriage; commencement of action; waiting period; unaccompanied complaint; procedure
- Section 2 Confinement for crime
- Section 3 Absence; presumption of death
- Section 4 Domicile of parties
- Section 5 Exceptions
- Section 6 Venue
- Section 6A Repealed, 1931, 426, Sec. 88
- Section 6B Filing of action; statistical report
- Section 7 Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 13
- Section 8 Commencement of actions
- Section 8A Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 15
- Section 9 Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 16
- Section 9A Repealed, 1922, 542, Sec. 3
- Section 10 Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 17
- Section 11 Ex parte hearing; allowance or denial of motion to insert name of third person
- Section 12 Spouse’s property; attachment
- Section 13 Attachment; manner
- Section 14 Attachments; laws applicable
- Section 15 Mentally ill defendant; appointment and compensation of guardian
- Section 16 Investigation of divorce case
- Section 17 Pendency of action; allowance; alimony
- Section 18 Pendency of action for divorce; protection of personal liberty of spouse; restraint orders authorized
- Section 19 Pendency of action for divorce; custody of children
- Section 20 Continuance of action; temporary separation
- Section 20A Judgment denying divorce; living apart for justifiable cause; authorization
- Section 21 Divorce judgments; entry
- Section 22 Desertion; proof
- Section 23 Resumption of former name by woman
- Section 24 Divorced parties; remarriage
- Section 24A Certificate of divorce; contents
- Section 25 Divorce for adultery of wife; legitimacy of issue
- Section 26 Repealed, 1949, 76, Sec. 1
- Section 27 Curtesy or dower after divorce
- Section 28 Children; care, custody and maintenance; child support obligations; provisions for education and health insurance; parents convicted of first degree murder
- Section 28A Temporary care; custody and maintenance of minor children
- Section 29 Minor children; foreign divorces, care and custody
- Section 30 Minor children; removal from commonwealth; prohibition
- Section 31 Custody of children; shared custody plans
- Section 31A Visitation and custody orders; consideration of abuse toward parent or child; best interest of child
- Section 32 Child; bringing before court; writ of habeas corpus
- Section 33 Jurisdiction; procedure
- Section 34 Alimony or assignment of estate; determination of amount; health insurance
- Section 34A Alimony judgment ordering conveyance; effect
- Section 34B Order to vacate marital home
- Section 34C Orders to vacate marital home and orders of restraint; notice to law enforcement agencies; procedures; violations
- Section 34D Request for restraining order or order to vacate marital home; information provided to petitioner upon filing; domestic violence record search; outstanding warrants
- Section 35 Alimony; enforcement
- Section 36 Security for payment of alimony or support; enforcement of judgments or orders
- Section 36A Continuing jurisdiction to enforce alimony, support and maintenance or child support; order for trustee process
- Section 37 Alimony; revision of judgment
- Section 38 Costs
- Section 39 Foreign divorces; validity
- Section 40 Cohabitation after divorce
- Section 41 Personation
- Section 42 Procurement of unlawful divorce
- Section 43 Advertisement to procure divorce
- Section 44 Certificate of divorce; unlawful issuance
- Section 45 Criminal offenses; notice to district attorney
- Section 46 Statistical reports; additional information
- Section 47 Repealed, 1976, 486, Sec. 23
- CHAPTER 209 HUSBAND AND WIFE
- Section 1 Married persons; separate property and property held as tenants by entirety; liability for debts
- Section 1A Tenants by entirety under older deed; electing treatment of tenancy
- Section 2 Married woman; power to contract
- Section 3 Transfers between husband and wife
- Section 4 Married woman; work and labor; presumption
- Section 5 Married woman; acting as fiduciary
- Section 6 Married woman; power to sue and be sued
- Section 7 Married woman; liabilities
- Section 8 Husband; liability for wife’s debts
- Section 9 Husband; liability on contracts concerning separate property of wife
- Section 10, 11 Repealed, 1974, 147, Sec. 4
- Section 12 Repealed, 1979, 306
- Section 13 Marriage settlements
- Section 14 Release of homestead by wife of ward
- Section 15 Wife of ward; joinder with guardian or conservator; sale of realty
- Section 16 Disposition of proceeds
- Section 17 Partition; joinder of husband or wife of ward with guardian or conservator
- Section 18 Mentally ill persons; conveyance or mortgage of real estate; release of homestead
- Section 19, 20 Repealed, 1971, 423, Sec. 18
- Section 21 Mentally ill spouse; reservation of portion of proceeds upon release of homestead
- Section 22, 23 Repealed, 1971, 423, Sec. 18
- Section 24 Venue
- Section 25 Antenuptial settlements; force and effect
- Section 26 Antenuptial settlements; record; description of property
- Section 27 Repealed, 1977, 581, Sec. 3
- Section 28 Rights of married person coming from another state or country
- Section 29 Property rights acquired in other states; effect of residence in this commonwealth
- Section 30 Sale or conveyance; notice to opposing absent spouse; jurisdiction of court; proof of abandonment; retransfer to opposing absent party
- Section 31 Non-resident married woman; conveyance of realty
- Section 32 Order prohibiting restraint of personal liberty of spouse; support, custody and maintenance orders; information provided to complainant; domestic violence record search; investigations; fa
- Section 32A to 32C Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 45
- Section 32D Judgment for separate support; conveyance of real property; enforcement; vesting of title
- Section 32E Judgment or order of support; enforcement
- Section 32F Married persons living apart; actions for support
- Section 33 Separate support or maintenance; attachment of defendant’s property and trustee process
- Section 34 Venue
- Section 35 Repealed, 1987, 522, Sec. 15
- Section 36 Spouse living apart; conveyance and will
- Section 37 Support orders for children of separated parents; child support guidelines; modification of orders; provisions for education and health insurance; parents convicted of first degree murder
- Section 38 Visitation and custody orders; consideration of abuse toward parent or child; best interest of child
- CHAPTER 209A ABUSE PREVENTION
- CHAPTER 209B MASSACHUSETTS CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION ACT
- CHAPTER 209C CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
- CHAPTER 209D UNIFORM INTERSTATE FAMILY SUPPORT ACT
- CHAPTER 210 ADOPTION OF CHILDREN AND CHANGE OF NAMES