reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 207 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 42 - Irregular Solemnization of Marriage; Validity

Section 42. A marriage solemnized by a person professing to have the authority to solemnize marriages under section thirty-eight or thirty-nine shall not be void, nor shall the validity thereof be in any way affected by want of authority in such person or society, or by an omission or by informality in the manner of filing the notice of intention, if the marriage is in other respects lawful and is consummated with a full belief of either of the persons so married that they have been lawfully married.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 43 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 43 - Solemnization of Marriage by Consul

Section 43. Marriages solemnized in a foreign country by a consul or diplomatic agent of the United States shall be valid in this commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 44 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 44 - Solemnization of Marriage; Fees

Section 44. A city by ordinance and a town by vote may authorize its clerk or registrar to pay on demand, in his office, twenty-five cents to any person who has legally solemnized a marriage in the commonwealth, after the receipt by such clerk or registrar of the certificate in legal form of the solemnization of such marriage. A city or town which passes such ordinance or vote shall annually appropriate the money necessary therefor, and the clerk or registrar thereof shall file quarterly with the treasurer or other proper financial officer of said city or town proper vouchers for all such payments.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 45 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 45 - Evidence of Marriage; Record

Section 45. The record of a marriage made and kept as provided by law by the person by whom the marriage was solemnized, or by the clerk or registrar, or a copy thereof duly certified, shall be prima facie evidence of such marriage.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 46 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 46 - Evidence of Marriage; Certificate of Consul

Section 46. A copy of the record of a marriage solemnized by a consul or diplomatic agent of the United States or a certificate from such consul or agent shall be prima facie evidence of such marriage.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 47 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 47 - Evidence of Marriage; Admissions; Repute; Cohabitation

Section 47. Marriage may be proved by evidence of an admission thereof by an adverse party, by evidence of general repute or of cohabitation of the parties as married persons, or of any other fact from which it may be inferred.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 47a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 47a - Breach of Contract to Marry Not Actionable

Section 47A. Breach of contract to marry shall not constitute an injury or wrong recognized by law, and no action, suit or proceeding shall be maintained therefor.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 47b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 47b - Alienation of Affection and Criminal Conversation Not Actionable

Section 47B. Alienation of affection and criminal conversation shall not constitute an injury or wrong recognized by law, and no action, suit or proceeding shall be maintained therefor.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 48 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 48 - Solemnization of Marriage Without Authority; Penalty

Section 48. Whoever, not being duly authorized by the laws of the commonwealth, undertakes to join persons in marriage therein shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 49 - Joining Persons in Marriage Without Certificate; Penalty

Section 49. Whoever, being duly authorized to solemnize marriages in the commonwealth, joins in marriage persons who have not complied with the laws relative to procuring certificates of notice of intention of marriage shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 51 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 51 - Violation of Certain Provisions of This Chapter; Penalty

Section 51. Violations of any provision of section seven, twenty-six or thirty-four, shall, upon complaint made within one year thereafter, be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 52 - Violation of Law Concerning Making Notice of Intention; False Statements; Penalty

Section 52. Whoever violates any provision of section twenty, and whoever falsely swears or affirms in making any statement required under section twenty, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 53 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Issuance to Nonage Persons; Penalty

Section 53. A clerk or registrar issuing a certificate of intention of marriage contrary to section thirty-three shall forfeit not more than one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 54 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Illegal Alteration; Penalty

Section 54. Whoever makes an illegal alteration or erasure on a certificate of intention of marriage shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 56 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 56 - Records and Returns of Marriages; Failure to Make; Penalty

Section 56. Whoever neglects to make the record and returns required by section forty shall forfeit not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 57 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 57 - Certificate of Intention of Marriage; Failure to Return; Penalty

Section 57. Whoever performs a ceremony of marriage upon a certificate more than sixty days after the filing of the notice of intention of marriage as set forth in such certificate, and whoever having taken out such certificate and not having used it fails to return it, within sixty days after such filing, to the office issuing the same, shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten dollars.
MA Gen L ch 207 § 58 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 207 - Marriage|Section 58 - Advertising to Perform Marriage Ceremony; Penalty for Illegal Advertising; Business Cards

Section 58. A justice of the peace or other person authorized to solemnize marriages may advertise his name or any trade name, business address, telephone number, rate of compensation as provided by law, regular hours of availability and any ability in a second language and any present or former professional affiliation, in any newspaper, magazine, telephone directory or other publication of general circulation. Whoever advertises to perform or to procure the performance of a marriage ceremony by any other means shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars; provided, however, that this section shall not be construed to prohibit the use of a business card by a justice of the peace or other person authorized to perform marriage ceremonies; and provided, further, that if a justice of the peace uses a business card said card shall not display the seal of the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 1 - Causes for Divorce; General Provisions

Section 1. A divorce from the bond of matrimony may be adjudged for adultery, impotency, utter desertion continued for one year next prior to the filing of the complaint, gross and confirmed habits of intoxication caused by voluntary and excessive use of intoxicating liquor, opium, or other drugs, cruel and abusive treatment, or, if a spouse being of sufficient ability, grossly or wantonly and cruelly refuses or neglects to provide suitable support and maintenance for the other spouse, or for an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage as provided in sections one A and B; provided, however, that a divorce shall be adjudged although both parties have cause, and no defense upon recrimination shall be entertained by the court.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 1b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 1b - Causes for Divorce; Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage; Commencement of Action; Waiting Period; Unaccompanied Complaint; Procedure

Section 1B. An action for divorce on the ground of an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage may be commenced by the filing of the complaint unaccompanied by the signed statement and dissolution agreement of the parties required in section one A.  No earlier than six months after the filing of the complaint, there shall be a hearing and the court may enter a judgment of divorce nisi if the court finds that there has existed, for the period following the filing of the complaint and up to the date of the hearing, a continuing irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the election of the court hereunder, the aforesaid six month period may be waived to allow the consolidation for the purposes of hearing a complaint commenced under this section with a complaint for divorce commenced by the opposing party under section one.  The filing of a complaint for divorce under this section shall not affect the ability of the defendant to obtain a hearing on a complaint for divorce filed under section one, even if the aforesaid six month period has not yet expired.  Said six month period shall be determined from the filing of a complaint for divorce. In the event that a complaint for divorce is commenced in accordance with the provisions of section one A or is for a cause set forth under section one, and said complaint is later amended to set forth the ground established in this section, the six month period herein set forth shall be computed from the date of the filing of said complaint.  As part of the entry of the judgment of divorce nisi, appropriate orders shall be made by the court with respect to custody, support and maintenance of children, and, in accordance with the provisions of section thirty-four, for alimony and for the disposition of marital property.  Nothing in the foregoing shall prevent the court, at any time prior to judgment, from making temporary orders for custody, support and maintenance or such other temporary orders as it deems appropriate, including referral of the parties and the children, if any, for marriage or family counseling.  Prior to the entry of judgment under this section, in the event that the parties file the statement and dissolution agreement as required under section one A hereinabove, then said action for divorce shall proceed under said section one A.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 2 - Causes for Divorce; Confinement for Crime

Section 2. A divorce may also be adjudged if either party has been sentenced to confinement for life or for five years or more in a federal penal institution or in a penal or reformatory institution in this or any other state; and, after a divorce for such cause, no pardon granted to the party so sentenced shall restore such party to his or her conjugal rights.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 3 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 3 - Causes for Divorce; Absence; Presumption of Death

Section 3. A divorce may be adjudged for any of the causes allowed by sections one, one B, or two although the defendant has been continuously absent for such time and under such circumstances as would raise a presumption of death.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 4 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 4 - Causes for Divorce; Domicile of Parties

Section 4. A divorce shall not, except as provided in the following section, be adjudged if the parties have never lived together as husband and wife in this commonwealth; nor for a cause which occurred in another jurisdiction, unless before such cause occurred the parties had lived together as husband and wife in this commonwealth, and one of them lived in this commonwealth at the time when the cause occurred.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 5 - Causes for Divorce; Exceptions to Sec. 4

Section 5. If the plaintiff has lived in this commonwealth for one year last preceding the commencement of the action if the cause occurred without the commonwealth, or if the plaintiff is domiciled within the commonwealth at the time of the commencement of the action and the cause occurred within the commonwealth, a divorce may be adjudged for any cause allowed by law, unless it appears that the plaintiff has removed into this commonwealth for the purpose of obtaining a divorce.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 6 - Venue of Libel

Section 6. Actions for divorce shall be filed, heard and determined in the probate court, held for the county where one of the parties lives, except that if either party still resides in the county where the parties last lived together, the action shall be heard and determined in a court for that county. In the event of hardship or inconvenience to either party, the court having jurisdiction may transfer such action for hearing to a court in a county in which such party resides.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 6b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 6b - Filing of Action; Statistical Report

Section 6B. An action for divorce shall be commenced in probate court by the filing of a complaint. Said complaint shall be accompanied by a statistical report, upon a form prepared by the commissioner of public health and made available through the office of the register of probate, to include the name, residence, date of birth and social security number of each of the parties, the name of the plaintiff, the number of times each of the parties had been married before, if any, the date of the marriage being dissolved, the number of children born of such marriage, if any, the name and date of birth of each such child, the number of minor children in the care and custody of the parties, if any, and such additional information as the commissioner of public health deems useful for statistical and research purposes. The state registrar may make such information available to the IV–D agency as set forth in chapter 119A and such other state or federal agencies as may be required by law.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 8 - Commencement of Actions

Section 8. Actions for divorce in the probate courts shall be commenced in accordance with the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure applicable to domestic relations procedure.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 11 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 11 - Ex Parte Hearing; Allowance or Denial of Motion to Insert Name of Third Person

Section 11. The evidence produced at such ex parte hearing shall not be reported or made a part of the record in the case and the motion for said amendment shall not be read in open court during the proceedings, but the register of probate shall make an entry in the docket of ''Motion to insert name of third person allowed'' or ''Motion to insert name of third person denied'', as the case may be. If the amendment is allowed upon affidavits, they shall be retained in the court and placed in the custody of the register, and shall be open for the purposes of inspection, and taking copies thereof, to counsel of record, the parties or the third person named in the amendment.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 12 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 12 - Libels for Divorce; Spouse's Property; Attachment

Section 12. Upon an action for divorce by either spouse for a cause accruing after marriage, the real and personal property of the other spouse may be attached to secure suitable support and maintenance to the plaintiff and to such children as may be committed to his care and custody.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 13 - Libels for Divorce; Attachment; Manner

Section 13. The attachment may be made upon the summons issued upon the action, in the same manner as attachments are made upon writs in actions at law, for an amount which shall be expressed in the summons or order of notice. The attachment may be made by trustee process, in which case there shall be inserted in the summons or order of notice a direction to attach the goods, effects and credits of the defendant in the hands of the alleged trustee, and service shall be made upon the trustee by copy. If attachment is made by trustee process, the action shall be filed as provided in section six notwithstanding the provisions of section two of chapter two hundred and forty-six. The court may in such cases make all necessary orders to secure to the trustee his costs. The attachment may be made by injunction, as in suits in equity, to reach shares of stock or other property which cannot be reached to be attached as in an action at law, and the property so attached may thereafter, by appropriate order, be applied to the satisfaction of any order or decree for the payment of money by one spouse to the other for his support and maintenance or that of the children.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 14 - Libels for Divorce; Attachments; Laws Applicable

Section 14. The laws relative to attachments of real or personal property shall apply to attachments herein provided for, so far as they are consistent with the two preceding sections.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 15 - Libels for Divorce; Mentally Ill Defendant; Appointment and Compensation of Guardian

Section 15. If during the pendency of an action for divorce the defendant is incapacitated by reason of mental illness, the court shall appoint a suitable guardian to appear and answer in like manner as a guardian for an infant defendant in any civil action may be appointed. The compensation of such guardian shall be determined by the court, and, together with his necessary expenses, shall be paid by the plaintiff if the court so orders.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 16 - Investigation of Divorce Case

Section 16. Any judge of a probate court wherein any action for divorce is pending may appoint an attorney to investigate and report to the court in relation thereto and may direct such attorney, or any other attorney, to defend the action. The attorney may be appointed either before or after a judgment of divorce nisi has been granted, and may enter objections to such judgment nisi becoming absolute in the same manner as the defendant. His compensation shall be fixed by the court, and shall be paid by the commonwealth, together with any expenses approved by the court, upon certificate by a justice to the state treasurer. The state police, local police and probation officers shall assist the attorneys so appointed, upon his request.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 17 - Pendency of Action; Allowance; Alimony

Section 17. The court may require either party to pay into court for the use of the other party during the pendency of the action an amount to enable him to maintain or defend the action, and to pay to him alimony during the pendency of the action. When the court makes an order for alimony on behalf of a party, and such party is not a member of a private group health insurance plan, the court shall include in such order for alimony a provision relating to health insurance, which provision shall be in accordance with section thirty-four.
MA Gen L ch 208 § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations|Title III - Domestic Relations|Chapter 208 - Divorce|Section 18 - Pendency of Action for Divorce; Protection of Personal Liberty of Spouse; Restraint Orders Authorized

Section 18. The probate court in which the action for divorce is pending may, upon petition of the wife, prohibit the husband, or upon petition of the husband, prohibit the wife from imposing any restraint upon her or his personal liberty during the pendency of the action for divorce. Upon the petition of the husband or wife or the guardian of either, the court may make such further order as it deems necessary to protect either party or their children, to preserve the peace or to carry out the purposes of this section relative to restraint on personal liberty.