reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 207 § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 16 - Issue of Marriage Void by Reason of Nonage or Insanity

Section 16. The issue of a marriage declared void by reason of nonage, insanity or idiocy of either party shall be the legitimate issue of the parent who was capable of contracting the marriage.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 17 - Issue of Marriage Void by Reason of Prior Marriage

Section 17. If a marriage is declared void by reason of a prior marriage of either party and the court finds that the second marriage was contracted with the full belief of the party who was capable of contracting the second marriage that the former husband or wife was dead, or that the former marriage was void, or that a divorce had been adjudged leaving the party to the former marriage free to marry again, or that there was no former marriage, such finding shall be stated in the judgment, and the issue of the second marriage, if born or begotten before the second marriage was declared void, shall be the legitimate issue of the parent capable of contracting the marriage.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 18 - Care and Maintenance of Children After Judgment of Nullity of Marriage; Power of Court

Section 18. Upon or after a judgment of nullity, the court shall have like power to make orders relative to the care, custody and maintenance of the minor children of the parties as upon a judgment of divorce.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 19 - Intention of Marriage; Situs; Time; Fees

Section 19. Persons intending to be joined in marriage in the commonwealth shall, not less than three days before their marriage, jointly cause notice of their intention to be filed in the office of the clerk or registrar of any city or town in the commonwealth, and pay the fee provided by clause (42) of section thirty-four of chapter two hundred and sixty-two. In computing the three day period specified in this section and in determining the third day referred to in section twenty-eight, Sundays and holidays shall be counted.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 20 - Intention of Marriage; Written Notice; Oath

Section 20. The clerk shall require written notice of intention of marriage, on forms furnished by the state registrar of vital records and statistics, containing such information as is required by law and also a statement of absence of any legal impediment to the marriage, to be given before such town clerk under oath by both of the parties to the intended marriage; provided, that if a registered physician makes affidavit to the satisfaction of the town clerk that a party is unable, by reason of illness, to appear, such notice may be given on behalf of such party, by his or her parent or legal guardian, or, in case there is no parent or legal guardian competent to act, or by the other party. Said forms containing the parties' written notice of intent to marry shall constitute a public record. In addition to such forms, the town clerk shall also require the parties to furnish information required for a separate report to be transmitted to the state registrar, including the social security number and residence address of both parties and such other information as may be required by state or federal law. A copy of said report shall not be retained by the town clerk nor shall it constitute a public record. The state registrar may make the information contained in said separate report available to the IV–D agency as set forth in chapter 119A and to such other state or federal agencies as may be required by state or federal law. In case of persons, one or both of whom are in the armed forces, such notice may be given by either party, provided that one is domiciled within the commonwealth. In the case of persons, one of whom is incarcerated in a county house of correction, or a state correctional facility, such notice shall be given by either party to the intended marriage. The oath or affirmation to such notice shall be to the truth of all the statements contained therein whereof the party subscribing the same could have knowledge, and may be given before the town clerk or before a regularly employed clerk in his office designated by him in writing and made a matter of record in the office. No fee shall be charged for administering such oath or affirmation. In towns having an assistant town clerk, he may administer the oath.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 23 - Intention of Marriage; Notice; Time and Situs of Receiving

Section 23. The clerk or registrar need not receive notices of intention of marriage on Sunday or a legal holiday, nor at any place except his office.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 24 - Intention of Marriage; Nonage Minors; Receiving of Notice Prohibited

Section 24. The clerk or registrar shall not, except as provided in the following section, receive a notice of the intention of marriage of a person under eighteen.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 25 - Nonage Minors; Authorization of Marriage

Section 25. The probate court for the county where, or a district court within the judicial district of which, a minor under the age specified in the preceding section resides may, after hearing, make an order allowing the marriage of such minor, if the parents or surviving parent of such minor, or, if only one such parent resides in the commonwealth, that parent, or, if neither such parent is alive and resident thereof, or if the parent or parents qualified as aforesaid to consent are disqualified as hereinafter provided, a legal guardian with custody of the person of such minor has consented to such order. If a parent has deserted his family, or if found to be incapacitated by reason of mental illness and incapable of consent, or if found unfit under the provisions of section five of chapter two hundred and one to have custody of such minor, it shall not be necessary to obtain his consent to such order. If a parent whose consent would be required if living in the commonwealth lives outside thereof and the address of such parent is known, such notice of the proceedings shall be given him as the probate or district court may order. Said court may also after hearing make such order in the case of a person whose age is alleged to exceed that specified in the preceding section, but who is unable to produce an official record of birth, whereby the reasonable doubt of the clerk or registrar, as exercised under section thirty-five, may be removed. Upon receipt of a certified copy of such order by the clerk or registrar of the town where such minor resides, he shall receive the notice required by law and issue a certificate as in other cases.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 26 - Intention of Marriage; Notice Without Consent; Liability; Cancellation

Section 26. Whoever, without the consent of both parties to an intended marriage, gives the notice of their intention of marriage required by law shall be liable in damages to either of such parties whose name was so used without such consent. The superior court, upon petition of either party alleged to intend marriage in such a notice given without the consent of both parties, and not followed by their intermarriage, may, after notice and a hearing, order that such notice of intention be cancelled in the town records.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 27 - Intention of Marriage; Adopted Persons

Section 27. A party to an intended marriage who has been legally adopted shall, in the notice of intention thereof, give the names of his parents by adoption; and the names of his parents may also be added. The consent of a parent by adoption to the marriage of a minor shall be sufficient if the consent of a parent of a minor is required by law as a preliminary to marriage. If the natural parents of a minor have been divorced and the consent of one of them is required by law, preliminary to the marriage of such minor, the consent of the parent having the custody of such minor shall be sufficient.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 28 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 28 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Delivery; Time

Section 28. On or after the third day from the filing of notice of intention of marriage, except as otherwise provided, but not in any event later than sixty days after such filing, the clerk or registrar shall deliver to the parties a certificate signed by him, specifying the date when notice was filed with him and all facts relative to the marriage which are required by law to be ascertained and recorded, except those relative to the person by whom the marriage is to be solemnized. Such certificate shall be delivered to the minister or magistrate before whom the marriage is to be contracted, before he proceeds to solemnize the same. If such certificate is not sooner used, it shall be returned to the office issuing it within sixty days after the date when notice of intention of marriage was filed.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 29 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Issuance to Immigrants

Section 29. If either of the parties to an intended marriage has arrived as an immigrant from a foreign country within five days, the notice of intention may be filed at any time before the marriage, and the certificate required by the preceding section shall be issued at any time after the filing of such intention.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 30 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Dispensing With Three Days' Notice

Section 30. Upon application by both of the parties to an intended marriage, when both parties are residents of the commonwealth or both parties are non-residents, or upon application of the party residing within the commonwealth when one of the parties is a resident and the other a non-resident, a judge of probate or a justice of a district court, or a special judge of probate and insolvency or special justice of a district court, may, after hearing such evidence as is presented, grant a certificate stating that in his opinion it is expedient that the intended marriage be solemnized without delay. Upon presentation of such a certificate, or, in extraordinary or emergency cases when the death of either party is imminent, upon the authoritative request of a minister, clergyman, priest, rabbi, authorized representative of a Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is or attending physician, the clerk or registrar of the town where the notice of intention has been filed shall at once issue the certificate prescribed in section twenty-eight.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 31 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 31 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Prohibition of Alteration

Section 31. No alteration or erasure shall be made by any person on the certificate under section twenty-eight until it has been returned to the clerk or registrar, and then only in such form and to such extent as he may prescribe. Any such certificate may be recorded after correction in accordance herewith.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 33a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 33a - Intention of Marriage; Proof of Age

Section 33A. If it appears from the statements made in the written notice of intention of marriage that a party to such intended marriage is under eighteen, the clerk or registrar shall not, except as required under section twenty-five, issue a certificate under section twenty-eight before receiving proof of the age of the parties. Such proof shall be contained in any of the following documents, graded and taking precedence in the order named: (1) an original or certified copy of a record of birth; (2) an original or certified copy of a baptismal record; (3) a passport; (4) a life insurance policy; (5) an employment certificate; (6) a school record; (7) an immigration record; (8) a naturalization record; or (9) a court record. Documentary evidence of a lower grade as aforesaid shall not be received by the clerk or registrar unless he is satisfied that evidence of a higher grade is not readily procurable. If no such documentary proof of age is procurable, the consent of the parent shall be sufficient. If the clerk or registrar has reasonable cause to believe that a party to an intended marriage represented to be eighteen or over, is under such age, he shall, before issuing such certificate, require documentary proof of age as aforesaid.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 34 - Minors Residing in Different Towns; Duplicate Copies of Notice of Intention of Marriage; Fees

Section 34. If it is necessary to give notice in two towns of the intention of marriage of a minor, the clerk or registrar who first takes the consent of the parent or guardian shall take it in duplicate, retaining one copy and delivering the other duly attested by him to the person obtaining the certificate, to be given to the clerk or registrar issuing the second certificate; and no fee shall be charged for such consent or copy.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 35 - Refusal of Certificate of Intention of Marriage

Section 35. The clerk or registrar may refuse to issue a certificate if he has reasonable cause to believe that any of the statements contained in the notice of intention of marriage are incorrect; but he may, in his discretion, accept depositions under oath, made before him, which shall be sufficient proof of the facts therein stated to authorize the issuing of a certificate. He may also dispense with the statement of any facts required by law to be given in a notice of intention of marriage, if they do not relate to or affect the identification or age of the parties, or a former marriage of either party, if he is satisfied that the same cannot with reasonable effort be obtained.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 36 - Marriages Without Commonwealth by Citizens; Filing of Certificate of Intention of Marriage

Section 36. Any resident of this commonwealth who marries outside the commonwealth and thereafter resides within the United States or any of its territories or possessions, or the spouse or heirs-at-law of such a person, may personally present to the town clerk or registrar of the town where such person was domiciled at the time of said marriage an original certificate, declaration or other written evidence of the same, or a photostatic copy thereof. The clerk or registrar may file such certificate, declaration, written evidence or photostatic copy as evidence establishing such marriage, or may make a copy thereof, which he shall attest as a true copy, and which he may then file as such evidence.  If such certificate, declaration, written evidence, photostatic copy or attested copy is not, in the opinion of the clerk or registrar, sufficient to establish such marriage, and he refuses to file the same, a judge of probate in the county wherein such town lies may, on petition and after a hearing, at which the clerk shall have an opportunity to be heard, order him to receive such certificate, declaration, written evidence, photostatic copy or attested copy as sufficient evidence to establish such marriage, whereupon such clerk or registrar shall file the same.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 37 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 37 - Impediments to Marriage; List; Posting

Section 37. The commissioner of public health shall furnish to the clerk or registrar of every town a printed list of all legal impediments to marriage, and the clerk or registrar shall forthwith post and thereafter maintain it in a conspicuous place in his office.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 38 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 38 - Solemnization of Marriage; Situs; Persons Authorized

Section 38. A marriage may be solemnized in any place within the commonwealth by the following persons who are residents of the commonwealth: a duly ordained minister of the gospel in good and regular standing with his church or denomination, including an ordained deacon in The United Methodist Church or in the Roman Catholic Church; a commissioned cantor or duly ordained rabbi of the Jewish faith; by a justice of the peace if he is also clerk or assistant clerk of a city or town, or a registrar or assistant registrar, or a clerk or assistant clerk of a court or a clerk or assistant clerk of the senate or house of representatives, by a justice of the peace if he has been designated as provided in the following section and has received a certificate of designation and has qualified thereunder; an authorized representative of a Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is in accordance with the usage of their community; a priest or minister of the Buddhist religion; a minister in fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association and ordained by a local church; a leader of an Ethical Culture Society which is duly established in the commonwealth and recognized by the American Ethical Union and who is duly appointed and in good and regular standing with the American Ethical Union; the Imam of the Orthodox Islamic religion; and, it may be solemnized in a regular or special meeting for worship conducted by or under the oversight of a Friends or Quaker Monthly Meeting in accordance with the usage of their Society; and, it may be solemnized by a duly ordained nonresident minister of the gospel if he is a pastor of a church or denomination duly established in the commonwealth and who is in good and regular standing as a minister of such church or denomination, including an ordained deacon in The United Methodist Church or in the Roman Catholic Church; and, it may be solemnized according to the usage of any other church or religious organization which shall have complied with the provisions of the second paragraph of this section.  Churches and other religious organizations shall file in the office of the state secretary information relating to persons recognized or licensed as aforesaid, and relating to usages of such organizations, in such form and at such times as the secretary may require.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 40 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 40 - Solemnization of Marriage; Records; Returns

Section 40. Every justice of the peace, minister of the gospel, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Association, rabbi, secretary of a Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is, leader of an Ethical Culture Society, duly ordained priest or minister of the Buddhist religion, Imam of the Orthodox Islamic religion, clerk or keeper of the records of a meeting wherein marriages among Friends or Quakers are solemnized, nonresident justice of a court and any person authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usage of any other church or religious organization which shall have complied with the provisions of the second paragraph of section thirty-eight shall make and keep a record of each marriage solemnized by him, or in such meeting, and of all facts relative to the marriage required to be recorded by section one of chapter forty-six. He shall also return each certificate issued under section twenty-eight no later than the tenth day of the month following each month in which marriages are solemnized by him to the clerk or registrar who issued the same. Each certificate and copy so returned shall contain a statement giving the place and date of marriage, attested by the signature of the person who solemnized the same, or of said secretary of a Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is or of said leader of an Ethical Culture Society, or of said duly ordained priest or minister of the Buddhist religion, or Imam of the Orthodox Islamic religion, or of said clerk or keeper of the records of a Friends or Quaker Monthly Meeting or any person authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usage of any other church or religious organization which shall have complied with the provisions of the second paragraph of section thirty-eight. The person who solemnized the marriage shall add the title of the office by virtue of which the marriage was solemnized, as ''justice of the peace'', ''minister of the gospel'', ''clergyman'', ''priest'', ''rabbi'', ''authorized representative of a Spiritual Assembly'', ''leader of an Ethical Culture Society'', or ''duly ordained priest or minister of the Buddhist religion'', or ''Imam of the Orthodox Islamic religion'', or other appropriate title, and his residence. All certificates or copies so returned shall be recorded by the clerk or registrar receiving them.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 41 - Solemnization of Marriage; Imperfect Certificates; Correction

Section 41. If a certificate of marriage is found, upon its return to the clerk or registrar, to have been incorrectly filled out by the person who solemnized a marriage under it, the clerk or registrar shall have it corrected and shall enforce the penalties provided by law relative thereto. Such imperfect certificates shall be recorded and indexed by the clerk or registrar.