reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 233 § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 24 - Depositions in Civil Cases Authorized

Section 24. Depositions may be taken as provided in this chapter to be used only in those proceedings in the land court and probate court which are not governed by the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure. The provisions of this section and of sections twenty-five through forty-five, inclusive, of this chapter, shall not apply to civil actions governed by said rules, or by the District-Municipal Courts Rules of Civil Procedure.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 24a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 24a - Medical Witnesses

Section 24A. At trial of a civil matter in the district court department of the trial court, the justice may order, or, upon the request of a party, authorize the taking of a deposition of the testimony of a medical witness. Said deposition shall be taken for use as medical evidence only, and shall be admissible in whole or in part in a proceeding before said district court department. The expense for stenographic service in connection with the taking of such deposition shall be paid by the party requesting that such witness be deposed, or whose witness is ordered to be deposed; provided, however, that if the judgment entered by the district court justice is in favor of the plaintiff, the cost of such stenographic expense shall be added to such judgment and shall be paid by the insurer, if the defendant has insurance, or by the defendant, if he does not have such insurance.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 25 - Grounds for Deposition

Section 25. If a witness or party whose testimony is wanted in a civil cause or proceeding pending in the commonwealth lives more than thirty miles from the place of trial, or is about to go out of the commonwealth and not to return in time for the trial, or is so ill, aged or infirm as to make it probable that he will not be able to attend at the trial, his deposition may be taken.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 26 - Notice of Taking Deposition

Section 26. After service of process in an action, or after a submission to arbitrators or referees, either party may apply to a justice of the peace or a notary public, who shall issue a notice to the adverse party to appear and propose interrogatories before said justice or any other justice of the peace or before said notary or any other notary public at the time and place appointed for taking the deposition.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 27 - Persons on Whom Notice May Be Served

Section 27. The notice may be served on the adverse party, his agent or attorney, and if there are several plaintiffs or defendants, on any of them.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 28 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 28 - Mode of Service

Section 28. The notice shall be served by delivering an attested copy thereof to the person to be notified, or by leaving such copy at his place of abode, not less than twenty-four hours before the time appointed for taking the deposition, and also allowing not less time than at the rate of one day, Sundays excluded, for every twenty miles' travel to the place appointed.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 29 - Verbal Notice; Waiver of Notice, Etc.

Section 29. The justice or notary who takes the deposition may give a verbal instead of the written notice. If the adverse party or his attorney in writing waives notice, or if the defendant does not enter his appearance in the action within the time required by law, no notice shall be required.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 30 - Oath and Examination of Deponent

Section 30. The deponent shall be sworn or affirmed to testify the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, relative to the cause for which the deposition is taken. The deponent shall then be examined by the justice or notary, and may be examined by the parties, and the testimony may be taken in writing or by any recording device, including an electronic device, which will accurately preserve such testimony.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 31 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 31 - Order of Examination

Section 31. The party producing the deponent shall be allowed first to examine him, either upon verbal or written interrogatories, on all the points which he considers material; the adverse party may then examine him in like manner, after which either party may propose further interrogatories.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 32 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 32 - Mode of Taking Deposition

Section 32. The deposition shall be written by the justice or notary or deponent or by a disinterested person in the presence and under the direction of the justice or notary, shall be carefully read to or by the deponent, and then subscribed by him.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 33 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 33 - Certification of Deposition

Section 33. The justice or notary shall annex to the deposition a certificate of the time and manner of taking it, the person at whose request and the cause in which it was taken, the reason for taking it, and that the adverse party attended, or if he did not attend what notice was given to him.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 34 - Delivery and Preservation of Deposition

Section 34. The deposition shall be delivered by the justice or notary to the court, arbitrators, referees or other persons before whom the cause is pending, or shall be enclosed and sealed by him and directed to it or them, and shall remain sealed until opened by it or them.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 35 - Exclusion of Deposition

Section 35. The court may exclude the deposition if it finds that the adverse party failed without fault to attend the taking thereof, and shall exclude it if it finds that the reason for taking it, or other sufficient cause for its use, no longer exists.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 36 - Objections to Deposition

Section 36. Objections to the competency or credibility of the deponent and to the admissibility of any questions asked of or answers made by him may be made when the deposition is produced in the same manner as if he were personally examined as a witness at the trial; but if a deposition is taken upon written interrogatories annexed to a commission, all objections to an interrogatory shall be made before the commission issues, and unless the interrogatory is withdrawn shall be noted in the deposition, otherwise they shall not be allowed.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 37 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 37 - Use of Deposition in Second Action

Section 37. If a plaintiff discontinues his action or becomes nonsuit, and another action is afterward commenced for the same cause between the same parties or their respective representatives, depositions lawfully taken for the first action may be used in the second in the same manner and subject to the same conditions and objections as if originally taken for the second action, if the deposition was duly filed in the court in which the first action was pending and has remained in the custody of the court from the termination of the first action until the commencement of the second.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 38 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 38 - Compelling Giving of Deposition; Place

Section 38. A person may be summoned and compelled to give his deposition at a place within twenty miles of his place of abode, in like manner and under the same penalties as are provided for a witness before a court.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 39 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 39 - Place of Taking Deposition of Nonresident Found Within Commonwealth

Section 39. A person not a resident of but found within the commonwealth may be summoned and compelled to give his deposition at any place within ten miles of the place at which the summons is served upon him, in like manner and under the same penalties as he may be summoned and compelled to attend as a witness before a court.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 40 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 40 - Rules for Taking Depositions

Section 40. The courts may make rules regulating the time and manner of opening, filing and safe keeping of depositions, and the taking and use thereof.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 41 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 41 - Taking Deposition Outside Commonwealth

Section 41. The deposition of a person without the commonwealth may be taken under a commission issued to one or more competent persons in another state or country by the court in which the cause is pending, or it may be taken before a commissioner appointed by the governor for that purpose, and in either case the deposition may be used in the same manner and subject to the same conditions and objections as if it had been taken in the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 42 - Written Interrogatories; Notice to Adverse Party; Production of Documents

Section 42. Unless the court otherwise orders, a deposition taken before commissioners shall be taken upon written interrogatories, which shall be filed in the clerk's office and notice thereof given to the adverse party or his attorney, and upon cross interrogatories, if any are filed by him. But if the defendant does not enter his appearance in the action within the time required by law, no notice to him shall be required. The court may in any case order depositions to be taken before commissioners, in the manner provided by law for taking the depositions of witnesses within the commonwealth in actions at law, or in such manner as the court orders, and in such cases shall determine what notice shall be given to the adverse party, his agent or attorney, and the manner of service thereof, may authorize the taking of depositions of witnesses not specifically named in the commission, and may limit the extent of the inquiry. The court may order the production before the commissioner of any books, instruments or papers relative to any matter in issue.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 43 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 43 - Rules for Taking Depositions Outside of Commonwealth

Section 43. The courts may make rules for the issuing of commissions, the filing of interrogatories and all other matters relative to depositions taken without the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 44 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 44 - Foreign Depositions Obtained Contrary to Statute

Section 44. Depositions and affidavits taken without the commonwealth in any manner other than is provided in the three preceding sections, if taken before a notary public or other person authorized by the laws of any other state or country to take depositions, may be admitted or rejected in the discretion of the court; but such deposition or affidavit shall not be admitted unless the court finds that the adverse party had sufficient notice of the taking thereof and an opportunity to cross-examine the witness, or that from the circumstances of the case it was impossible to give him such notice.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 45 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 45 - Deposition for Use in Another State

Section 45. A person may be summoned and compelled, in like manner and under the same penalties as are provided for a witness before a court, to give his deposition in a cause pending in a court of any other state or government. Such deposition may be taken before a justice of the peace or a notary public in the commonwealth, or before a commissioner appointed under the authority of the state or government in which the action is pending. If the deposition is taken before such commissioner, the witness may be summoned and compelled to appear before him by process from a justice of the peace or a notary public in the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 46 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 46 - Application to Take Deposition to Perpetuate Testimony

Section 46. If a person desires to perpetuate his own testimony or the testimony of another person, he shall apply in writing to two justices of the peace or notaries public, or a justice of the peace and a notary public, one of whom shall be an attorney at law, requesting them to take his deposition or the deposition of the person whose testimony he desires to perpetuate, and stating briefly and substantially his title, claim or interest in or to the subject relative to which he desires the evidence perpetuated, the names of all other persons interested or supposed to be interested therein and the name of the witness proposed to be examined.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 47 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 47 - Notice of Taking Deposition; Compelling Testimony

Section 47. The justices or notaries shall thereupon cause notice of the time and place appointed for taking the deposition to be given to all persons named in said statement as interested in the case, in the manner provided in sections twenty-six to twenty-nine, inclusive; and if in the opinion of the justices or notaries no sufficient provision is made by law for giving notice to parties adversely interested, they shall cause such reasonable notice to be given as they consider proper. A person may be summoned and compelled to give a deposition in perpetuation of his testimony in like manner and under the same penalties as are provided for a witness before a court.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 48 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 48 - Objections to Taking Deposition; Procedure

Section 48. If at the time and place so appointed a witness or a person interested appears and objects, the justices or notaries shall not take the deposition unless upon hearing the parties they shall find that such testimony may be material to the petitioner and, except when the witness himself is petitioner, that it is not sought for the purpose of discovery or of using it in an action then pending or thereafter to be brought against said witness, and that the petitioner is in danger of losing the same before it can be taken in any action wherein his right, title, interest or claim can be tried. In all cases the petitioner, his agent or attorney shall, at the request of such witness or of a person interested, be examined on oath relative to his reasons for taking the deposition.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 49 - Mode of Taking Deposition

Section 49. The deponent shall be sworn and examined, and his deposition shall be written, read and subscribed in the manner provided in sections thirty to thirty-two, inclusive; and the justices or notaries shall sign and annex thereto a certificate of the name of the person at whose request it was taken, the names of all persons who were notified to attend, of all who attended the taking thereof, of the time and manner of taking it, and that it was taken for the purpose of perpetuating the testimony therein.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 50 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 50 - Recording Deposition

Section 50. The deposition, the certificate and the application of the petitioner shall, within ninety days after the taking of the deposition, be recorded in the registry of deeds in the county or district where the land lies, if the deposition relates to land; otherwise, in the county or district where the parties or some of them reside.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 51 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 51 - Use of Deposition in Action

Section 51. If, at the time of taking such deposition or afterward, an action is pending between the petitioner and the persons named in his application or any of those who were notified as aforesaid, or any persons claiming under any of said persons, relative to the title, claim or interest set forth in the application, the deposition or a certified copy of it from the registry of deeds may be used in such action in the same manner and subject to the same conditions and objections as if it had been originally taken therefor.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 52 - Perpetuation of Testimony of Nonresidents

Section 52. Depositions to perpetuate the testimony of persons living without the commonwealth may be taken without the commonwealth upon a commission issued by the supreme judicial or the superior court.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 53 - Application to Perpetuate Testimony of Nonresidents

Section 53. The person who desires to take such deposition shall file in either of said courts the application provided for in section forty-six; and if the subject of the proposed deposition relates to land within the commonwealth, a copy of the application with the statement therein shall be filed in the registry of deeds for the county or district where the land or any part thereof lies; otherwise, in the registry of deeds for the county or district where the parties or some of them reside.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 54 - Notice of Taking Deposition

Section 54. The court shall order notice of such application and statement to be served on all the persons named therein as adversely interested, and living within the commonwealth, fourteen days at least before the time therein appointed for hearing the parties, and shall order reasonable notice to be given to such persons living without the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 55 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 55 - Issuance of Commission

Section 55. If, upon hearing the parties who appear, the court finds that there is sufficient cause for taking the deposition, it shall issue a commission therefor in like manner as for taking a deposition to be used in a cause pending in the same court.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 56 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 56 - Written Interrogatories

Section 56. The deposition shall be taken upon written interrogatories filed by the applicant, and cross interrogatories, if any are filed by any party adversely interested, and it shall be taken and returned substantially in the same manner as if taken to be used in a cause pending in the same court.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 57 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 57 - Rules for Perpetuation of Testimony of Witnesses Without Commonwealth

Section 57. The supreme judicial court may make rules for taking depositions to perpetuate the testimony of witnesses without the commonwealth, taken under a commission from the supreme judicial or the superior court, and for filing or recording them.
MA Gen L ch 233 § 58 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases|Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein|Chapter 233 - Witnesses and Evidence|Section 58 - Use of Deposition

Section 58. Depositions to perpetuate the testimony of witnesses which are taken without the commonwealth under this chapter may be used in like manner as if taken within the commonwealth.