reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 215 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 41 - Temporary Investments

Section 41. A probate court may, upon application of a person interested in an estate in process of settlement in such court, direct the temporary investment of any money belonging to such estate in securities approved by the judge, or on paid-up shares and accounts of and in co-operative banks, or in share accounts or savings deposits of federal savings and loan associations or a savings and loan association located in the commonwealth; or it may authorize the money to be deposited in any bank or savings institution in the commonwealth empowered to receive such deposits and said sums may be placed in accounts which require prior notice of intention to withdraw, provided that the interest payable on such accounts is at a rate higher than accounts where no notice to withdraw is required.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 41a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 41a - Distribution of Limited Funds of Estates to Parents of Minors

Section 41A. A probate court may, upon application of an administrator or executor of an estate under such terms and conditions as the court may direct, authorize said person to deliver to the parent of a minor, any funds to which such minor is entitled and held by said administrator or executor when the sum is less than one thousand dollars.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 42 - Appearances

Section 42. A duly authorized attorney at law may enter his appearance as attorney for the party represented by him in any proceeding in a probate court, and all processes and notices served upon him shall have the same force and effect as if served upon the party whom he represents. Any person entering an appearance as herein provided, or in his own behalf, shall print or type his name directly below his signature thereon, but failure to do so shall not affect the validity thereof.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 43 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 43 - Interrogatories

Section 43. In any proceeding in a probate court, the petitioner or respondent may at any time after the filing of the petition file interrogatories in the registry of probate for the discovery of facts and documents material to the support or defence of the proceeding. All provisions of chapter two hundred and thirty-one relative to interrogatories in civil actions shall, so far as applicable, apply to such interrogatories. If a party neglects or refuses to expunge, amend or answer according to said chapter, the petition shall be dismissed or its prayer granted, or such other order or decree entered as may be required.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 44 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 44 - Concealed Property; Examination of Suspects Under Oath

Section 44. Upon complaint to a probate court by a person interested in the estate of a deceased person against a person suspected of having fraudulently received, concealed, embezzled or conveyed away any property, real or personal, of the deceased, the court may cite such suspected person, although he is executor or administrator, to appear and be examined on oath upon the matter of the complaint. If the person so cited refuses to appear and submit to examination, or to answer such interrogatories as may be lawfully propounded to him, the court may commit him to jail until he submits to the order of the court. The examination shall be had and recorded in such manner as the court shall direct, and the final record shall be signed by the party examined. A proceeding hereunder shall be entitled ''petition for discovery''.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 45 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 45 - Costs

Section 45. In contested cases before a probate court or before the supreme judicial court on appeal, costs and expenses in the discretion of the court may be awarded to either party, to be paid by the other, or may be awarded to either or both parties to be paid out of the estate which is the subject of the controversy, as justice and equity may require. In any case wherein costs and expenses, or either, may be awarded hereunder to a party, they may be awarded to his counsel or may be apportioned between them. Execution may issue for costs awarded hereunder.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 46 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 46 - Summons or Citation; Service by Registered Mail

Section 46. When personal service is required of any summons or citation issued by a probate court, the court may direct such service to be made by registered mail addressed to the party entitled thereto at his post office address. Further service may be ordered.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 47 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 47 - Waiver of Notice

Section 47. The notice required in any proceeding in a probate court may be dispensed with if all parties entitled thereto assent in writing to such proceeding or waive notice.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 49 - Notices; Selection of Newspapers

Section 49. Parties to probate proceedings may select the newspapers in which the notices ordered upon their petitions shall be published, preference to be given to a newspaper, if any, published in the town where the deceased last dwelt, unless, in the judgment of the register, the interests of all parties require publication in some other locality; but the court may order the notice published in one other newspaper.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 50 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 50 - Receipts and Releases of Fiduciaries; Recording; Fees

Section 50. A paper or instrument, discharging a claim or purporting to acknowledge the performance of a duty or payment of money for which an executor, administrator, guardian, conservator, trustee or receiver is chargeable or accountable in a probate court, shall, upon the request of a party interested, be recorded in the registry of said court; and the registers of probate in their respective counties shall enter, record, index and certify any original paper or instrument offered as aforesaid, and shall receive for such services like compensation as registers of deeds would be entitled to demand for like services. Such compensation shall be paid by the person leaving such paper or instrument for record at the time of leaving it.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 52 - Original Will; Taking From Registry

Section 52. The probate court in which a will has been duly proved, allowed and recorded may, after the expiration of twenty days within which an appeal may be taken from the decree admitting such will to probate, upon the petition of the executor or of a legatee named in such will, or of any person interested in the estate of the testator, and after notice and a hearing, permit the original will, if it appears necessary, to be taken from the files of such court to establish the right or title of such executor, legatee or person to the estate of the testator in any foreign country.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 53 - Court Room and Room for Records; Duty to Provide

Section 53. The commonwealth shall provide and maintain suitable rooms for the use of the probate courts, ample fireproof rooms and suitable alcoves, cases and boxes for the safe keeping of all records, files, papers and documents belonging to the several registries of probate, and shall also provide all books necessary for keeping the records, and all printed blanks and stationery used in probate proceedings.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 54 - Rooms for Records; Additional Space

Section 54. If in the opinion of the court administrator of the trial court such fireproof rooms are insufficient, he shall certify the need of additional accommodations to the general court.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 55 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 55 - Preservation of Dockets and Indexes

Section 55. If in the judgment of the chief justice public convenience so requires, he may, at the expense of the commonwealth, cause the files and records of the probate and family court department, within the respective divisions, to be rearranged, indexed and docketed, worn or defaced dockets renewed and the indexes consolidated, under the direction and supervision of the registers of the respective divisions.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 56 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 56 - Recording of Proceedings in Suffolk; Expense

Section 56. The expense of recording probate proceedings in Suffolk county, not exceeding forty-five hundred dollars in any one year, shall be paid by the commonwealth, upon the official certificate of the register, countersigned by a justice appointed to the division for said county, in the amounts and to the persons named in such certificate.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 56a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 56a - Investigations

Section 56A. Any judge of a probate court may appoint a guardian ad litem to investigate the facts of any proceeding pending in said court relating to or involving questions as to the care, custody or maintenance of minor children and as to any matter involving domestic relations except those for the investigation of which provision is made by section sixteen of chapter two hundred and eight. Said guardian ad litem shall, before final judgment or decree in such proceeding, report in writing to the court the results of the investigation, and such report shall be open to inspection to all the parties in such proceeding or their attorneys. The compensation shall be fixed by the court and shall be paid by the commonwealth, together with any expense approved by the court, upon certificate by the judge to the state treasurer. The state police, local police and probation officers shall assist the guardian ad litem so appointed, upon his request.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 56b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 56b - Contempt Proceedings Involving Child Care, Custody or Maintenance; Guardian Ad Litem; Appointment

Section 56B. Any judge of a probate court may appoint a guardian ad litem to institute contempt proceedings under the provisions of section thirty-four A against any party for failure to obey judgments of the probate court involving care, custody or maintenance of minor children, and said guardian ad litem may personally serve throughout the commonwealth any summons or capias incidental to the enforcement of this section. The compensation shall be fixed by the court and shall be paid by the commonwealth, together with any expense approved by the court, upon certificate by the judge to the state treasurer. The state police, local police and probation officers shall assist the guardian ad litem so appointed, upon his request.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 56c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 56c - Transmission of Order of Probate Court Appointing Guardian or Conservator for Incapacitated Person to Department of Criminal Justice Information Services for Consideration in Background Checks for Firearm Sales or Licensing; Petition to Restore Person's Ability to Possess Firearm

Section 56C. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law, to the contrary, the administrative office of the trial court shall transmit an order of the probate court appointing a guardian or conservator for an incapacitated person under Parts 3 or 4 of Article 5 of chapter 190B, on the grounds that the person lacks mental capacity to contract or manage the person's affairs, and any subsequent order terminating or rescinding the appointment, to the department of criminal justice information services to provide: (i) licensing authorities as defined pursuant to section 121 of chapter 140 with information required or permitted to be considered under state and federal law to conduct background checks for firearm sales or licensing; and (ii) the Attorney General of the United States with information required or permitted under federal law to be included in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System maintained to conduct background checks for firearms sales or licensing. The department shall transmit no more information than is necessary for the purpose stated above and the information shall not be considered a public record under clause Twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4 and section 10 of chapter 66.  (b) A person found to lack the mental capacity to contract or manage the person's affairs may, after 5 years from the date of the finding, file a petition for relief with the probate court that ordered the commitment requesting the court to restore the person's ability to possess a firearm. The court may grant the relief sought in accordance with due process if the circumstances regarding the person's disqualifying condition and the person's record and reputation are determined to be such that: (i) the person is not likely to act in a manner that is dangerous to public safety; and (ii) the granting of relief would not be contrary to the public interest. In making the determination, the court may consider evidence from a licensed physician or clinical psychologist that the person is no longer suffering from the disease or condition that caused the incapacity or that the disease or condition has been successfully treated for a period of 3 consecutive years. Upon the granting of a petition for relief, the administrative office of the trial court shall immediately forward a copy of the order for relief to the department of criminal justice information services for the purposes listed in subsection (a).
MA Gen L ch 215 § 57 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 57 - Sessions of the Courts; Contempt Powers of Judge, Etc.

Section 57. The judge of a probate court may keep order in court, and may punish any contempt of his authority.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 58 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 58 - Sessions of the Courts; Open Times

Section 58. The probate court shall be open daily on days other than Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, for hearings, matters in equity, proceedings in contempt and for making orders, judgments and decrees in matters before them, except that, if the convenience of the public so requires, a court shall be open on any Saturday, not a legal holiday, for said purposes during such hours as the judge or judges thereof may determine. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the times of hearings shall be discretionary with the judges of said courts.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 59 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 59 - Sessions of the Courts; Adjournment

Section 59. A judge of a probate court may adjourn court as occasion requires; and if he is absent at the time appointed for holding court, the register shall adjourn it as he may consider necessary or as the judge may order. The register may also adjourn court when the office of judge is vacant.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 60 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 60 - Sessions of the Courts; Holidays and Election Days

Section 60. If the regular time for holding a probate court occurs on a legal holiday, the court shall not be open, and all notices, summonses, citations, orders and other papers which would otherwise be made returnable at said regular time shall be made returnable on the next secular day thereafter.
MA Gen L ch 215 § 62 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 215 - Probate Courts|Section 62 - Times and Places for Holding Courts

Section 62. The court shall be held by one of the justices, and when so held shall have and exercise all the power and jurisdiction committed to said court. The chief justice, after consultation with the chief justice of the trial court, shall make such assignments for the attendance of a justice at the several times and places appointed for holding the court as will be most convenient as will insure the prompt performance of its duties.
MA Gen L ch 217 § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 217 - Judges and Registers of Probate and Insolvency|Section 1 - Divisions; Justices; Definitions

Section 1. For each county there shall be a division of the probate and family court department of the trial court, and in each division except those for Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex, Worcester, Plymouth, Hampden, Bristol, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, one appointment of an associate justice of the trial court shall be made and he shall be the justice for that division. Wherever the words ''probate court'', ''court of insolvency'' or ''probate and insolvency court'' are used, or similar words importing the same, or wherever in this chapter the word ''court'' is used in that context, they shall refer to a division of the probate and family court department of the trial court; and the words ''judge of probate'', ''judge of probate and insolvency'' or the word ''judge'', in context, shall mean an associate justice of the trial court appointed to a division of said probate and family court department; and the words ''register of probate'', ''register of probate and insolvency'' or the word ''register'', in context, shall mean the register of a division of the probate and family court department; and the words ''registry of probate'', ''registry of probate and insolvency'' or the word ''registry'', in context, shall mean the registry of said division.
MA Gen L ch 217 § 3b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 217 - Judges and Registers of Probate and Insolvency|Section 3b - Hampshire County; Associate Justice

Section 3B. There shall be an associate justice of the trial court appointed in Hampshire county, hereinbefore known as the special judge of probate and insolvency in the county of Hampshire, who shall be and perform the duties of a full-time circuit justice in said county or such other county as the chief justice may designate, and when so assigned shall receive from the commonwealth the expenses incurred by him. Upon such designation, the registry of the court to which said circuit justice is assigned shall certify upon the records of the court, and to the comptroller, the number of days, the dates upon which, and the occasions for which, the circuit justice performed his duties. Nothing in this section shall be construed to establish a new judicial position nor abolish the tenure of the incumbent special judge of probate and insolvency.
MA Gen L ch 217 § 3c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 217 - Judges and Registers of Probate and Insolvency|Section 3c - Circuit Justices; Appointment; Expenses

Section 3C. There shall be 11 associate justices of the trial court appointed for the probate and family court department who shall be and perform the duties of circuit justices in such counties as the chief justice shall from time to time designate, and when so assigned they shall receive from the commonwealth the expenses incurred by them.
MA Gen L ch 217 § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 217 - Judges and Registers of Probate and Insolvency|Section 4 - Registers of Probate and Insolvency

Section 4. There shall be in each county a register of probate and insolvency, who shall hold office for six years beginning with the first Wednesday in January in the year succeeding his election, and until his successor is qualified.
MA Gen L ch 217 § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 217 - Judges and Registers of Probate and Insolvency|Section 5 - Oath of Judge

Section 5. Each judge of probate, before entering upon the performance of his official duties, in addition to the oaths prescribed by the constitution, shall take and subscribe an oath that he will faithfully discharge said duties and that he will not during his continuance in office violate any provision of section six. Such oath shall be filed in the registry of probate of the county for which he is appointed.
MA Gen L ch 217 § 5a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title I - Courts and Judicial Officers|Chapter 217 - Judges and Registers of Probate and Insolvency|Section 5a - Oath of Register

Section 5A. Each register, before entering upon the performance of his official duties, in addition to the oaths prescribed by the constitution, shall take and subscribe an oath that he will faithfully discharge said duties and that he will not during his continuance in office, directly or indirectly, be interested in, or benefited by, the fees or emoluments which may arise in any suit or matter pending in either of the courts of which he is register. Such oaths shall be filed in the registry of probate of the county for which he is elected.