reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 208 § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 19 - Pendency of Action for Divorce; Custody of Children

Section 19. The court may in like manner, upon application of either party or of a next friend in behalf of the minor children of the parties, make such order relative to the care and custody of such children during the pendency of the action for divorce as it may consider expedient and for their benefit.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 20 - Continuance of Action; Temporary Separation

Section 20. The court may, without entering a judgment of divorce, order the action continued upon the docket from time to time, and during such continuance may make orders relative to a temporary separation of the parties, the separate maintenance of either spouse and the custody and support of minor children. Such orders may be changed or annulled as the court may determine, and shall, while they are in force, supersede any order of the probate court under section thirty-two of chapter two hundred and nine and may suspend the right of said court to act under said section. When the court makes an order for maintenance of a spouse or support of a minor child, and such spouse or child is not a member of a private group health insurance plan, the court shall include in such order a provision relating to health insurance, which provision shall be in accordance with section thirty-four.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 20a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 20a - Judgment Denying Divorce; Living Apart for Justifiable Cause; Authorization

Section 20A. If, after a hearing, the allegations of an action for divorce are not sustained, the court may, if the facts warrant, enter a judgment denying the divorce and making a finding that the plaintiff is living apart from the defendant for justifiable cause, and may make such order relative to the support of either spouse and the care, custody of and maintenance of the minor children of the parties as the circumstances require. The various provisions of chapter two hundred and nine which relate to proceedings commenced under section thirty-two thereof shall be applicable to this section.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 21 - Divorce Judgments; Entry

Section 21. Judgments of divorce shall in the first instance be judgments nisi, and shall become absolute after the expiration of ninety days from the entry thereof, unless the court within said period, for sufficient cause, upon application of any party to the action, otherwise orders. After the entry of a judgment nisi, the action shall not be dismissed or discontinued on motion of either party except upon such terms, if any, as the court may order after notice to the other party and a hearing, unless there has been filed with the court a memorandum signed by both parties, wherein they agree to such disposition of the action.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 22 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 22 - Libels for Divorce; Desertion; Proof

Section 22. In order to establish grounds for divorce for desertion, the plaintiff shall establish that the defendant left voluntarily and without justification and with intent not to return, that at the time such defendant left, the plaintiff did not consent thereto, and that the defendant failed to cohabit with the plaintiff for at least one year next prior to the date of the filing of the action. An action for divorce for desertion shall not be defeated by a temporary return or other act of the defendant if the court finds that such return or other act was not made or done in good faith, but with intent to defeat such action. The prior filing of an action for divorce or separate support shall not be deemed to raise a conclusive presumption to defeat an action for divorce for desertion.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 23 - Resumption of Former Name by Woman

Section 23. The court granting a divorce may allow a woman to resume her maiden name or that of a former husband.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 24 - Divorced Parties; Remarriage

Section 24. After a judgment of divorce has become absolute, either party may marry again as if the other were dead.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 24a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 24a - Certificate of Divorce; Contents

Section 24A. The court, in issuing a copy of, or a certificate relating to, a decree of divorce entered by it, shall cause to be printed or written thereon the provisions of sections twenty-one and twenty-four.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 25 - Divorce for Adultery of Wife; Legitimacy of Issue

Section 25. A divorce for adultery committed by the wife shall not affect the legitimacy of the issue of the marriage, but such legitimacy, if questioned, shall be tried and determined according to the course of the common law.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 27 - Curtesy or Dower After Divorce

Section 27. After a divorce, a husband or wife shall not be entitled to curtesy or dower in the land of the other spouse.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 28a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 28a - Temporary Care; Custody and Maintenance of Minor Children

Section 28A. During the pendency of an action seeking a modification of a judgment for divorce, upon motion of either party or of a next friend on behalf of the minor children of the parties and notice to the other party or parties, the court may make temporary orders relative to the care, custody and maintenance of such children. Every order entered relative to care and custody shall include specific findings of fact made by the court which clearly demonstrate the injury, harm or damage that might reasonably be expected to occur if relief pending a judgment of modification is not granted. An order entered relative to care and custody, pursuant to this section, may only be entered without advance notice if the court finds that an emergency exists, the nature of which requires the court to act before the opposing party or parties can be heard in opposition. In all such cases, such order shall be for a period not to exceed five days and written notice of the issuance of any such order and the reasons therefor shall be given to the opposing party or parties together with notice of the date, time and place that a hearing on the continuation of such order will be held.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 29 - Minor Children; Foreign Divorces, Care and Custody

Section 29. If, after a divorce has been adjudged in another jurisdiction, minor children of the marriage are inhabitants of, or residents in this commonwealth, the probate court for the county in which said minors or any of them are inhabitants or residents, upon an action of either parent or of a next friend in behalf of the children, after notice to both parents, shall have the same power to make judgments relative to their care, custody, education and maintenance, and to revise and alter such judgments or make new judgments, as if the divorce had been adjudged in this commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 30 - Minor Children; Removal From Commonwealth; Prohibition

Section 30. A minor child of divorced parents who is a native of or has resided five years within this commonwealth and over whose custody and maintenance a probate court has jurisdiction shall not, if of suitable age to signify his consent, be removed out of this commonwealth without such consent, or, if under that age, without the consent of both parents, unless the court upon cause shown otherwise orders. The court, upon application of any person in behalf of such child, may require security and issue writs and processes to effect the purposes of this and the two preceding sections.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 32 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 32 - Child; Bringing Before Court; Writ of Habeas Corpus

Section 32. Any court having jurisdiction of actions for divorce or nullity of marriage, separate support, or maintenance, or of any other proceeding in which the care and custody of any child is drawn in question, may issue a writ of habeas corpus to bring before it such child. The writ may be made returnable forthwith before the court by which it is issued, and, upon its return, said court may make any appropriate order or judgment relative to the child who may thus be brought before it.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 33 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 33 - Jurisdiction; Procedure

Section 33. The court may, if the course of proceeding is not specially prescribed, hear and determine all matters coming within the purview of this chapter according to the course of proceedings in ecclesiastical courts or in courts of equity, and may issue process of attachment and execution and all other proper and necessary processes. In such proceedings the court shall have jurisdiction in equity of all causes cognizable under the general principles of equity jurisprudence, arising between husband and wife, such jurisdiction to be exercised in accordance with the usual course of practice in equity proceedings.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 34 - Alimony or Assignment of Estate; Determination of Amount; Health Insurance

Section 34. Upon divorce or upon a complaint in an action brought at any time after a divorce, whether such a divorce has been adjudged in this commonwealth or another jurisdiction, the court of the commonwealth, provided there is personal jurisdiction over both parties, may make a judgment for either of the parties to pay alimony to the other under sections 48 to 55, inclusive. In addition to or in lieu of a judgment to pay alimony, the court may assign to either husband or wife all or any part of the estate of the other, including but not limited to, all vested and nonvested benefits, rights and funds accrued during the marriage and which shall include, but not be limited to, retirement benefits, military retirement benefits if qualified under and to the extent provided by federal law, pension, profit-sharing, annuity, deferred compensation and insurance. In fixing the nature and value of the property, if any, to be so assigned, the court, after hearing the witnesses, if any, of each of the parties, shall consider the length of the marriage, the conduct of the parties during the marriage, the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities and needs of each of the parties, the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income, and the amount and duration of alimony, if any, awarded under sections 48 to 55, inclusive. In fixing the nature and value of the property to be so assigned, the court shall also consider the present and future needs of the dependent children of the marriage. The court may also consider the contribution of each of the parties in the acquisition, preservation or appreciation in value of their respective estates and the contribution of each of the parties as a homemaker to the family unit. When the court makes an order for alimony on behalf of a spouse, said court shall determine whether the obligor under such order has health insurance or other health coverage available to him through an employer or organization or has health insurance or other health coverage available to him at reasonable cost that may be extended to cover the spouse for whom support is ordered. When said court has determined that the obligor has such insurance or coverage available to him, said court shall include in the support order a requirement that the obligor do one of the following: exercise the option of additional coverage in favor of the spouse, obtain coverage for the spouse, or reimburse the spouse for the cost of health insurance. In no event shall the order for alimony be reduced as a result of the obligor's cost for health insurance coverage for the spouse.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 34a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 34a - Alimony Judgment Ordering Conveyance; Effect

Section 34A. Whenever a judgment for alimony shall be made in a proceeding for divorce directing that a deed, conveyance or release of any real estate or interest therein shall be made such judgment shall create an equitable right to its enforcement, subject to the provisions for recording of notice in section fifteen of chapter one hundred and eighty-four, in the party entitled thereto by the judgment, and if the judgment has not been complied with at the time the judgment of divorce becomes absolute, and is thereafter recorded in the manner provided by section forty-four of chapter one hundred and eighty-three, then the judgment itself shall operate to vest title to the real estate or interest therein in the party entitled thereto by the judgment as fully and completely as if such deed, conveyance or release had been duly executed by the party directed to make it.  No assignment, transfer or conveyance, from one spouse to the other, under this section or under a separation agreement, of real estate which is encumbered by a mortgage shall be deemed a transfer or divestment of said mortgage under the provisions of mortgage covenants, which provide that the debt secured by said mortgage becomes due and payable on demand upon transfer or divestment to anyone other than the mortgagor.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 34b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 34b - Order to Vacate Marital Home

Section 34B. Any court having jurisdiction of actions for divorce, or for nullity of marriage or of separate support or maintenance, may, upon commencement of such action and during the pendency thereof, order the husband or wife to vacate forthwith the marital home for a period of time not exceeding ninety days, and upon further motion for such additional certain period of time, as the court deems necessary or appropriate if the court finds, after a hearing, that the health, safety or welfare of the moving party or any minor children residing with the parties would be endangered or substantially impaired by a failure to enter such an order. The opposing party shall be given at least three days' notice of such hearing and may appear and be heard either in person or by his attorney. If the moving party demonstrates a substantial likelihood of immediate danger to his or her health, safety or welfare or to that of such minor children from the opposing party, the court may enter a temporary order without notice, and shall immediately thereafter notify said opposing party and give him or her an opportunity to be heard as soon as possible but not later than five days after such order is entered on the question of continuing such temporary order. The court may issue an order to vacate although the opposing party does not reside in the marital home at the time of its issuance, or if the moving party has left such home and has not returned there because of fear for his or her safety or for that of any minor children.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 34c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 34c - Orders to Vacate Marital Home and Orders of Restraint; Notice to Law Enforcement Agencies; Procedures; Violations

Section 34C. Whenever a division of the probate and family court department issues an order to vacate under the provisions of section thirty-four B, or an order prohibiting a person from imposing any restraint on the personal liberty of another person under section eighteen or under the provisions of section thirty-two of chapter two hundred and nine or section three, four or five of chapter two hundred and nine A or section fifteen or twenty of chapter two hundred and nine C or an order for custody pursuant to any abuse prevention action, the register shall transmit two certified copies of each order forthwith to the appropriate law enforcement agency which shall serve one copy of each such order upon the defendant. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, service shall be by delivering a copy in hand to the defendant. Law enforcement officers shall use every reasonable means to enforce such order. Law enforcement agencies shall establish procedures adequate to insure that an officer at the scene of an alleged violation of such order may be informed of the existence and terms of such order.  The court shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agency in writing whenever any such order is vacated by the court and shall direct the agency to destroy all records of such vacated order and such agency shall comply with such directive.  Any violation of such order shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in the house of correction, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each such order issued shall contain the following statement: VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.  Any such violation may be enforced in the superior or district or Boston municipal court departments. Criminal remedies provided herein are not exclusive and do not preclude any other available civil or criminal remedies. The superior, probate and family, district and Boston municipal court departments may each enforce by civil contempt procedure a violation of its own court order.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 34d (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|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 34D. Upon the filing of a request for a restraining order pursuant to section eighteen or for an order for a spouse to vacate the marital home pursuant to section thirty-four B, a petitioner shall be informed that the proceedings hereunder are civil in nature and that violations of orders issued hereunder are criminal in nature. Further, a petitioner shall be given information prepared by the appropriate district attorney's office that other criminal proceedings may be available and such petitioner shall be instructed by such district attorney's office relative to the procedures required to initiate such criminal proceedings including, but not limited to, the filing of a complaint for a violation of section forty-three of chapter two hundred and sixty-five. Whenever possible, a petitioner shall be provided with such information in the petitioner's native language.  When considering a request for a restraining order pursuant to section eighteen or for an order for a spouse to vacate the marital home pursuant to section thirty-four B, a judge shall cause a search to be made of the records contained within the statewide domestic violence record keeping system maintained by the office of the commissioner of probation and shall review the resulting data to determine whether the named defendant has a civil or criminal record involving domestic or other violence. Upon receipt of information that an outstanding warrant exists against the named defendant, a judge shall order that the appropriate law enforcement officials be notified and shall order that any information regarding the defendant's most recent whereabouts shall be forwarded to such officials. In all instances where an outstanding warrant exists, a judge shall make a finding, based upon all of the circumstances, as to whether an imminent threat of bodily injury exists to the petitioner. In all instances where such an imminent threat of bodily injury is found to exist, the judge shall notify the appropriate law enforcement officials of such finding and such officials shall take all necessary actions to execute any such outstanding warrant as soon as is practicable.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 35 - Alimony; Enforcement

Section 35. The court may enforce judgments, including foreign decrees, for allowance, alimony or allowance in the nature of alimony, in the same manner as it may enforce judgments in equity.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 36 - Security for Payment of Alimony or Support; Enforcement of Judgments or Orders

Section 36. When alimony or support is adjudged for the spouse or children, the court may require sufficient security for its payment according to the judgment. Each judgment or order of support which is issued, reviewed or modified pursuant to this chapter shall conform to and shall be enforced in accordance with the provisions of section twelve of chapter one hundred and nineteen A.