reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 12 § 4a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 4a - Acceptance of Gifts or Grants of Money or Property

Section 4A. The department may accept any gifts or grants of money or property, whether real or personal, from any source, whether public or private, including but not limited to the United States of America or its agencies, for the purpose of assisting the department in the discharge of its duties.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5 - Civil Actions to Recover Money for Commonwealth

Section 5. All civil actions to recover money for the commonwealth may be brought in the name of the commonwealth by the attorney general or by a district attorney.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5e (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5e - Alternate Remedies Available to Determine Civil Penalty

Section 5E. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5C, the attorney general may elect to pursue its claim through any alternate remedy available to the attorney general, including any administrative proceeding, to determine a civil penalty. If any such alternate remedy is pursued in another proceeding, a relator shall have the same rights in such proceeding as said relator would have had if the action had continued under said section 5C. Any finding of fact or conclusion of law made in such other proceeding that has become final shall be conclusive on all parties to an action under sections 5B to 5O, inclusive. For purposes of this section, a finding or conclusion is final if it has been finally determined on appeal to the appropriate court of the commonwealth, if all time for filing such an appeal with respect to the finding or conclusion has expired, or if the finding or conclusion is not subject to judicial review.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5g (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5g - Actions Brought Against Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary of State, etc.; Jurisdiction

Section 5G. (a) No court shall have jurisdiction over an action brought pursuant to section 5C against the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the treasurer, the secretary of state, the auditor, a member of the general court, the inspector general or a member of the judiciary, if the action is based on evidence or information known to the commonwealth when the action was brought.  (b) An individual may not bring an action pursuant to paragraph (2) of said section 5C that is based upon allegations or transactions which are the subject of a civil suit or an administrative proceeding in which the commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof is already a party.  (c) The court shall dismiss an action or claim pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, unless opposed by the commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof, if substantially the same allegations or transactions as alleged in the action or claim were publicly disclosed: (1) in a Massachusetts criminal, civil or administrative hearing in which the commonwealth is a party; (2) in a Massachusetts legislative, administrative, auditor's or inspector general's report, hearing, audit or investigation; or (3) from the news media, unless the action is brought by the attorney general, or the relator is an original source of the information.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5h (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5h - Money Recovered by Commonwealth; False Claims Prosecution Fund

Section 5H. (1) All money recovered by the commonwealth, as a result of actions brought by the attorney general or a person pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, other than costs and attorney's fees awarded pursuant to paragraph (2), shall be credited by the state treasurer to the False Claims Prosecution Fund, established by section 2YY of chapter 29.  (2) Costs and attorney's fees awarded to a relator by final judicial order in an action under this section shall be paid directly by the defendant to the relator.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5i (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5i - Awards of Attorney General Fees and Expenses; Awards of Costs and Attorney Fees Against Relators; Liability

Section 5I. (1) If the attorney general initiates an action or assumes control of an action brought by a person pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, the attorney general shall be awarded his reasonable attorney's fees and expenses incurred in the litigation, including costs, if he prevails in the action.  (2) If the attorney general does not proceed with an action pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, and the defendant is the prevailing party, the court may award the defendant reasonable attorneys' fees and costs against the relator upon a written finding that such action was pursued in bad faith or was wholly insubstantial, frivolous, and advanced for the purpose of causing the defendant undue burden, unnecessary expense or harassment.  (3) No liability shall be incurred by the commonwealth, the affected agency or the attorney general for any expenses, attorney's fees or other costs incurred by any person in bringing or defending an action under said sections 5B to 5O, inclusive.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5j (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5j - Employers Preventing Employees From Acting to Further False Claim Actions; Liability

Section 5J. (1) No employer shall make, adopt or enforce any rule, regulation or policy preventing an employee, contractor or agent from disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency or from acting to further efforts to stop 1 or more violations of sections 5B to 5O, inclusive. No employer shall require as a condition of employment, during the term of employment or at the termination of employment that any employee, contractor or agent agree to, accept or sign an agreement that limits or denies the rights of such employee, contractor or agent to bring an action or provide information to a government or law enforcement agency pursuant to said sections 5B to 5O, inclusive. Any such agreement shall be void.  (2) An employee, contractor or agent shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make that employee, contractor or agent whole if that employee, contractor or agent is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed or in any other manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment because of lawful acts done by the employee, contractor, agent or a person associated with the employee, contractor or agent in furtherance of an action under sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, or other efforts to stop a violation of said sections 5B to 5O, inclusive.  (3) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, relief under paragraph (2) shall include reinstatement with the same seniority status the employee, contractor or agent would have had but for the discrimination, twice the amount of back pay, interest on the back pay and compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination. In addition, the defendant shall be required to pay litigation costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. An employee, contractor or agent may bring an action in the appropriate superior court, the superior court of the county of Suffolk or any other appropriate court for the relief provided in this section.  (4) A civil action under this section may not be brought more than 3 years after the date when the violation of this section occurred.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5k (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5k - Limitation of Actions; Intervention by Attorney General; Final Judgments in Criminal Proceedings

Section 5K. (1) A civil action pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, for a violation of section 5B may not be brought (i) more than six years after the date on which the violation occurred; or (ii) more than three years after the date when facts material to the right of action are known or reasonably should have been known by the official within the office of the attorney general charged with responsibility to act in the circumstances, but in no event more than ten years after the date on which the violation is committed, whichever occurs last. A civil action pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, may be brought for acts or omissions that occurred prior to the effective date of this section, subject to the limitations period set forth in this section.  (2) If the attorney general elects to intervene and proceed with an action brought pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, for a violation of section 5B, the attorney general may file a complaint or amend the complaint of a person who has brought an action pursuant to said sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, to clarify or add detail to the claims in which the attorney general is intervening and to add any additional claims with respect to which the commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof contends it is entitled to relief. For statute of limitations purposes, any such pleading shall relate back to the filing date of the complaint of the person who originally-brought the action, to the extent that the claim of the attorney general arises out of the conduct, transactions or occurrences set forth, or attempted to be set forth, in the prior complaint of that person.  (3) Notwithstanding any other general or special law, rule of procedure or rule of evidence to the contrary, a final judgment rendered in favor of the commonwealth in a criminal proceeding charging fraud or false statements, whether upon a verdict after trial or upon a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, shall estop the defendant from denying the essential elements of the offense in any action which involves the same act, transaction or occurrence as in the criminal proceedings and which is brought under section 5B.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5l (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5l - Preponderance of the Evidence Standard

Section 5L. In any action brought pursuant to sections 5B to 5O, inclusive, the party bringing the action shall be required to prove all essential elements of the cause of action, including damages, by a preponderance of the evidence.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5m (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5m - Rules, Regulations or Guidelines; Attorney General

Section 5M. The attorney general may promulgate any rules, regulations or guidelines that, in the attorney general's judgment, are necessary and appropriate to the effective administration of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 5o (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 5o - Agency Reporting Requirements

Section 5O. Nothing in sections 5B to 5M, inclusive, shall be construed to relieve an agency of its reporting requirements regarding matters within that agency under chapter 647 of the acts of 1989.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 6 - Consultation With and Giving of Advice and Assistance to District Attorneys

Section 6. He shall consult with and advise district attorneys in matters relating to their duties; and, if in his judgment the public interest so requires, he shall assist them by attending the grand jury in the examination of a case in which the accused is charged with a capital crime, and appear for the commonwealth in the trial of indictments for capital crimes.  He shall also consult with and advise district attorneys in all civil actions brought pursuant to chapter two hundred and fifty-eight, and may assist them in the defense of such actions.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 6a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 6a - Conferences of District Attorneys and Other Officials; Notification as to New Laws

Section 6A. He may from time to time, and as often as occasion may require, call into conference the district attorneys, the sheriffs of the several counties and the chiefs of police of the several cities and towns, or such of them as he may deem advisable, for the purpose of discussing the duties of their respective offices with a view to the uniform and adequate enforcement of the laws of the commonwealth.  He shall, as soon as convenient after the end of each legislative session, notify the sheriffs of the several counties and the chiefs of police of the several cities and towns of all laws enacted during such session which it is their duty to enforce. Such notice shall include a list by chapter number and title of each law so enacted.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 7 - Persons Intruding on Land, Property or Rights of Commonwealth; Prosecution

Section 7. He may, if in his judgment the public interest so requires, prosecute informations or other processes against persons who intrude on the land, rights or property of the commonwealth, or commit or erect a nuisance thereon.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8 - Due Application of Charity Funds Enforced

Section 8. The attorney general shall enforce the due application of funds given or appropriated to public charities within the commonwealth and prevent breaches of trust in the administration thereof.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8a - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 8a to 8m

Section 8A. As used in this section and in sections eight B to eight M, inclusive, the following words and phrases shall, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, have the following meanings:—  ''Director'', the director of public charities appointed pursuant to the provisions of section eight C.  ''Division'', the division of public charities established under section eight B.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8b - Division of Public Charities; Duties

Section 8B. There shall be in the department of the attorney general a division of public charities which shall, under the direction and control of the attorney general, perform the duties imposed upon him by the provisions of section eight to eight M, inclusive.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8c - Director of Public Charities; Designation

Section 8C. The executive and administrative head of the division shall be an assistant attorney general designated by the attorney general to act as the director of public charities.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8d (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8d - Employees; Appointment and Removal

Section 8D. The director may appoint and remove, subject to the approval of the attorney general, such accounting, investment, clerical and other experts and assistants as the work of the division may require.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8g (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8g - Attorney General as a Party; Service

Section 8G. The attorney general shall be made a party to all judicial proceedings in which he may be interested in the performance of his duties under the provisions of sections eight to eight M, inclusive, and service upon or notice to the director in any such proceeding shall be deemed sufficient service upon or notice to the attorney general.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8i (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8i - Compliance With Investigations; Enforcement; Penalties

Section 8I. A person upon whom a notice is served pursuant to the provisions of section eight H shall comply with the terms thereof unless otherwise provided by the order of a court of the commonwealth. Any person who fails to appear, or with intent to avoid, evade, or prevent compliance, in whole or in part, with any civil investigation under this chapter, removes from any place, conceals, withholds, or destroys, mutilates, alters, or by any other means falsifies any documentary material in the possession, custody or control of any person subject to any such notice, or knowingly conceals any relevant information, shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars.  The attorney general may file in the superior court of the county in which such person resides or has his principal place of business, or in the superior court of Suffolk county if such person is a non-resident or has no principal place of business in the commonwealth, and serve upon such person, in the same manner as provided in section eight H, a petition for an order of such court for the enforcement of this section and section eight H. Any disobedience of any final order entered under this section by any court shall be punished as a contempt thereof.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8j (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8j - Rules and Regulations

Section 8J. The director shall from time to time formulate such reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of sections eight to eight M, inclusive, and such rules and regulations shall thereafter govern all such matters.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8k (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8k - Gift for Public Charitable Purpose; Presumed Intention

Section 8K. A gift made for a public charitable purpose shall be deemed to have been made with a general intention to devote the property to public charitable purposes, unless otherwise provided in a written instrument of gift.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8l (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8l - Fiscal Records

Section 8L. Every public charity required to file written annual reports with the division pursuant to section eight F shall, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the division, keep true fiscal records as to its activities within the commonwealth in such form as will enable it accurately to provide the information required by said section. Upon demand, such records shall be made available to the division for inspection. Such records shall be retained for a period of at least three years after the end of the period to which the annual report relates.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8m (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8m - Public Records; Inspection

Section 8M. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all registration statements, annual reports and all other information required to be filed under sections eight to eight M, inclusive, or by the division, shall be public records in the office of the division and shall be open to the general public for inspection at such time and under such conditions as the division may prescribe.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 8n (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 8n - Fees, Costs, Penalties and Other Monies; General Fund

Section 8N. All fees, attorneys fees, costs, civil penalties and other monies received by the commonwealth pursuant to sections eight through eight M or sections eighteen through thirty-five of chapter sixty-eight shall be credited by the state treasurer to the General Fund.
MA Gen L ch 12 § 9 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys|Section 9 - Advice and Aid to General Court and Committees

Section 9. He shall, when required by either branch of the general court, attend during its sessions and give his aid and advice in the arrangement and preparation of legislative documents and business, and shall give his opinion upon questions of law submitted to him by the governor and council or by either branch of the general court. He, or some person designated by him, shall, when requested by a vote of a legislative committee, appear before such committee and advise it upon the legal effect of proposed legislation pending before it.