reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 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 79d - Photographic Copies of Newspaper in Library; Prints From Photographic Films

Section 79D. Copies of any newspaper, or part thereof made by the photographic or microphotographic process deposited in any public library or a library of any college or university located in the commonwealth, shall, when duly certified by the person in charge thereof, be admitted in evidence equally with the originals.
A print, whether enlarged or not, from any photographic film, including any photographic plate, microphotographic film, photostatic negative or reproduction of any original record, document, instrument, plan, book or paper destroyed, lost or for any reason unavailable after such film was taken, shall be admissible in evidence in all instances that the original record, document, instrument, plan, book or paper might have been admitted in evidence, and shall have the full force and effect of said original if it is proved that (
a
) such reproduction was made in the regular course of any business and that it was the regular course of any such business to make such reproductions; (
b
) said photographic film, microphotographic, photostatic or similar reproduction was taken in order to keep a permanent record of the original; and (
c
) the said original was subsequently destroyed, lost or is unavailable.
2023 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 79e - Reproductions of Public or Business Records

Section 79E. If any business, institution, member of a profession or calling, or any department or agency of government, in the regular course of business or activity, has kept or recorded any memorandum, writing entry, print, representation or combination thereof of any act, transaction, occurrence or event, and in the regular course of business has caused any or all of the same to be recorded, copied or reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, microcard, miniature photographic or other process which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for so reproducing the original, the original may be destroyed in the regular course of business unless its preservation is required by law. Such reproduction, when satisfactorily identified, shall be as admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding whether the original is in existence or not and an enlargement or facsimile of such reproduction shall be likewise admissible in evidence if the original reproduction is in existence and available for inspection under direction of the court. The introduction of a reproduced record, enlargement or facsimile, shall not preclude admission of the original.
2023 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 79f - Proof of Public Way

Section 79F. A certificate by the secretary of the public works commission in the case of a state highway, or the secretary of the metropolitan district commission in the case of a highway under the control of said commission, or by a city or town clerk in the case of a city or town way, that a particular way is a public way as a matter of record shall be admissible as prima facie evidence that such a way is a public way.
2023 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 79h - Tort Actions for Personal Injuries or Death; Admissibility of Reports of Deceased Physicians

Section 79H. In an action of tort for personal injuries or death, or for consequential damages arising from such personal injuries, the medical report of a deceased physician who attended or examined the plaintiff, including expressions of medical opinion, shall, at the discretion of the trial judge, be admissible in evidence, but nothing therein contained which has reference to the question of liability shall be so admissible. Any opposing party shall have the right to introduce evidence tending to limit, modify, contradict or rebut such medical report. The word ''physician'' as used in this section shall not include any person who was not licensed to practice medicine under the laws of the jurisdiction within which such medical attention was given or such examination was made.
2023 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 79i - Actions to Recover From Insurer for Theft of Personal Property From Motor Vehicle or Trailer; Prima Facie Evidence of Forcible Entry Into Vehicle

Section 79I. In an action to recover from an insurer under a policy which provides coverage for theft of personal articles from a motor vehicle or trailer if all windows and doors are locked and if there are visible signs of forcible entry into the vehicle or trailer, the fact that such motor vehicle or trailer was stolen shall be prima facie evidence that there was a forcible entry.
2023 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 79j - Business Records Required to Be Produced in Court; Certification, Admissibility and Inspection; Copies

Section 79J. A record kept by any business which is required to be produced in court by any party shall be certified by the affidavit of the person in custody thereof to be a true and complete record and shall be delivered by such business to the clerk of such court who shall keep the same in his custody until its production is called for at the trial or hearing by the party requiring the said record. Such record, so certified and delivered shall be deemed to be sufficiently identified to be admissible in evidence if admissible in all other respects. The party requiring the production of said record and, in the discretion of the court, any other party may examine said record in the custody of the clerk at any time before it is produced in court. The clerk upon completion of such trial or hearing shall notify such business that said record is no longer required and will be returned by mail unless an authorized representative of the business calls for the same at the office of said clerk within seven days of said notice.
A copy of such record made by the photographic process may be delivered to the clerk of such court in place of the original and, if certified as hereinbefore provided, shall be admitted in evidence equally with the original.
2023 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 79k - Duplicate of Computer Data File or Program File; Admissibility

Section 79K. A duplicate of a computer data file or program file shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself unless (1) a genuine question is raised as to the authenticity of the original or (2) in the circumstances it would be unfair to admit the duplicate in lieu of the original.
For the purposes of this section, if data is stored in a computer or similar device, any printout or other output readable by sight, shown to reflect the data accurately, shall be an original.
A ''duplicate of a computer data file or program file'' shall mean a file produced by the same impression as the original, or from the same matrix, or by mechanical or electronic recording, in the normal way such a duplicate is produced on a computer, or by other equivalent techniques that accurately reproduce the original.
2023 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 79l - Statements or Conduct Expressing Regret, Apology, Condolence by Health Care Provider; Admissibility

Section 79L. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
''Facility'', a hospital, clinic, or nursing home licensed under chapter 111, a psychiatric facility licensed under chapter 19 or a home health agency; provided, however, that ''facility'' shall also include any corporation, professional corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, authority or other entity comprised of such facilities.
''Health care provider'', any of the following health care professionals licensed under chapter 112: a physician, podiatrist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, dentist, dental hygienist, optometrist, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, chiropractor, psychologist, independent clinical social worker, speech-language pathologist, audiologist, marriage and family therapist or mental health counselor; provided, however, that ''health care provider'' shall also include any corporation, professional corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, authority, or other entity comprised of such health care providers.
''Unanticipated outcome'', the outcome of a medical treatment or procedure, whether or not resulting from an intentional act, that differs from an intended result of such medical treatment or procedure.
(b) In any claim, complaint or civil action brought by or on behalf of a patient allegedly experiencing an unanticipated outcome of medical care, all statements, affirmations, gestures, activities or conduct expressing benevolence, regret, apology, sympathy, commiseration, condolence, compassion, mistake, error or a general sense of concern which are made by a health care provider, facility or an employee or agent of a health care provider or facility, to the patient, a relative of the patient or a representative of the patient and which relate to the unanticipated outcome shall be inadmissible as evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding, unless the maker of the statement, or a defense expert witness, when questioned under oath during the litigation about facts and opinions regarding any mistakes or errors that occurred, makes a contradictory or inconsistent statement as to material facts or opinions, in which case the statements and opinions made about the mistake or error shall be admissible for all purposes. In situations where a patient suffers an unanticipated outcome with significant medical complication resulting from the provider's mistake, the health care provider, facility or an employee or agent of a health care provider or facility shall fully inform the patient and, when appropriate, the patient's family, about said unanticipated outcome.
2023 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 80 - Transcripts From Stenographic Notes

Section 80. Transcripts from stenographic notes duly taken under authority of law in any court proceeding by a stenographer duly appointed for the purpose and sworn, when verified by the certificate of such stenographer, shall be admissible as evidence of testimony given whenever proof of such testimony is otherwise competent.
2023 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 83 - Custody Hearings; Out-of-Court Statements Describing Sexual Contact; Admissibility

Section 83. (a) Any out-of-court statements of a child under the age of ten describing any act of sexual contact performed on or with the child, the circumstances under which it occurred, or which identifies the perpetrator offered in an action brought under subparagraph C of section twenty-three or section twenty-four of chapter one hundred and nineteen shall be admissible; provided, however that the person to whom the statement was made, or who heard the child make the statement testifies, and the judge finds that the statement is offered as evidence of a material fact and is more probative on the point for which it is offered than any other evidence which the proponent can procure through reasonable effort.
(b) An out-of-court statement admissible by common law or by statute shall remain admissible notwithstanding the provisions of this section.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 1 - Application of Chapter to Particular Counties

Section 1. This chapter shall apply in every county in the commonwealth which has been designated as a participating county as hereinafter provided. Middlesex county shall be a participating county as of the effective date of this chapter. The supreme judicial court shall designate such further participating counties and the dates on which the various sections of this chapter shall become applicable within such participating counties. The supreme judicial court shall make such designations in a manner that will expand the application of this chapter to all counties in an orderly, prudent, and expeditious manner.
Whenever any section of this chapter shall become applicable within a participating county, all provisions of law which are inconsistent with such section shall cease to be effective within such participating county. Hereinafter in this chapter, the word ''county'' shall mean ''participating county'' unless specifically stated otherwise.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 2 - Judicial Districts; Eligibility for Jury Service

Section 2. The judicial districts for purposes of this chapter shall be the counties unless modified by the supreme judicial court. The supreme judicial court may, by rule of court, define judicial districts for purposes of this chapter which differ in geographical area and population from the counties in accordance with the following principles: a judicial district shall be the geographical area encompassing a designated list of cities and towns; a judicial district may be defined for, or associated with, a single court or court location, or it may be defined for, or associated with, several courts or court locations.
Every citizen shall have the opportunity to serve as a grand and trial juror in at least one judicial district. There shall be no proscription against citizens of certain cities and towns being eligible or subject to perform grand or trial juror service in more than one judicial district.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 3 - Juror Service

Section 3. Juror service in the participating counties shall be a duty which every person who qualifies under this chapter shall perform when selected. All persons selected for juror service on grand and trial juries shall be selected at random from the population of the judicial district in which they reside. All persons shall have equal opportunity to be considered for juror service. All persons shall serve as jurors when selected and summoned for that purpose except as hereinafter provided. No person shall be exempted or excluded from serving as a grand or trial juror because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, economic status, or occupation. Physically handicapped persons shall serve except where the court finds such service is not feasible. The court shall strictly enforce the provisions of this section.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 5 - Office of Jury Commissioner

Section 5. There shall be an office of jury commissioner for the commonwealth, hereinafter called the office. The office shall have authority to implement the provisions of this chapter in the participating counties. It shall be a department within the judicial branch and under the supervision and control of the supreme judicial court. The office, with the approval of the supreme judicial court, may establish branch offices for all regions of the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 6 - Jury Management Advisory Committee

Section 6. A jury management advisory committee, consisting of six members, one of whom shall be appointed as chairman, shall be established as a standing committee of the supreme judicial court. The chairperson and committee members shall be appointed by the chief justice of the supreme judicial court and shall be chosen from among the justices of any trial or appellate court of the commonwealth.
The jury management advisory committee, hereinafter referred to as the committee, shall be authorized to assist and counsel the chief justice and the supreme judicial court in supervising the office of jury commissioner, to perform direct supervision of the office of jury commissioner pursuant to duties specified in this chapter and in matters delegated to the committee by the chief justice of the supreme judicial court. The committee is authorized to assist and counsel the office of jury commissioner in the implementation and administration of this chapter; to foster continuing study, research, and improvement of all aspects of the jury system; to encourage increased public interest and education in this field; to encourage improved cooperation and efficiency between the state and federal courts in matters of juror selection and management; and to encourage improved cooperation and efficiency between the judicial branch, other branches, and local units of government in the preparation and utilization of population lists and other materials. The committee may appoint such non-judicial members as it deems appropriate, provided, however, that these non-judicial members shall not vote on the official business of the committee. The office shall reimburse members of the jury management advisory committee for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 7 - Jury Commissioner and Staff; Appointment; Salaries

Section 7. The office of jury commissioner shall be composed of a jury commissioner and such staff positions as the jury commissioner, with the approval of the committee, shall find necessary for the implementation and administration of this chapter. The jury commissioner shall be appointed by the supreme judicial court for the term of five years. The salaries of all employees of the office, including the jury commissioner, shall be established pursuant to the classification and compensation plan applicable to employees of the supreme judicial court. The jury commissioner shall be the executive head of the office of jury commissioner.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 8 - Rules of Court; Regulations

Section 8. The supreme judicial court may make and amend rules of court not inconsistent with this chapter, designating the participating counties and regulating all aspects of the selection and management of grand and trial jurors. The jury commissioner, with the approval of the supreme judicial court, may promulgate regulations setting forth policies, procedures, and forms for the selection and management of grand and trial jurors at local levels, in the juror pools, in courtrooms, and in other appropriate circumstances in furtherance of the objectives of this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 9 - Liability of Cities and Towns

Section 9. The mayor, city manager, or other executive head of a city and the city clerk, jointly and severally, shall have the duty of fulfilling all obligations imposed upon such city under this chapter. The board of selectmen, town manager, or other executive head of a town and the town clerk, jointly and severally, shall have the duty of fulfilling all obligations imposed upon such town under this chapter. Obligations imposed upon cities and towns under this chapter shall include obligations established in the rules of the supreme judicial court and in the regulations of the jury commissioner made and duly promulgated under the provisions of this chapter. Cities and towns having boards of election commissioners or boards of registrars of voters may by letter to the jury commissioner signed by the executive head of the city or town delegate certain responsibilities under this chapter to such boards, but ultimate responsibility for compliance shall not be delegated.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 10 - Numbered Resident List

Section 10. On or before the first day of June of each year, each city and town shall make a sequentially numbered list of the names, addresses, and dates of birth of all persons who were seventeen years of age or older as of the first day of January of the current year and who resided as of the first day of January of the current year in such city or town. The names of residents shall be listed and numbered, without duplication, in alphabetical order, one name to each number, along with such other information and in such form and format as shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. On or before the said date, each city and town shall submit one copy of this list to the office of jury commissioner and make a copy of such list available for inspection by members of the public. Hereinafter in this chapter, such list shall be referred to as the ''numbered resident list'' and a particular individual on such list shall be referred to as a ''numbered resident''. The cost of preparing the numbered resident list shall be paid by the city or town.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 11 - Numbered Resident File

Section 11. On or before the first day of June of each year, each city and town having twenty thousand or more residents on its numbered resident list shall submit to the office of jury commissioner an automated copy of such list. Such automated copy, hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the ''numbered resident file'', shall be a data processing file contained on a magnetic computer tape or disk of such kind and in such format as shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. Any city or town having less than twenty thousand residents on its numbered resident list may comply with this section. Any city or town that complies with this section shall have fulfilled all of its obligations for submission of population data to the office of jury commissioner for the current year. The cost of preparing the numbered resident file shall be paid by the city or town. The office of jury commissioner shall return said computer tapes to the cities and towns within a reasonable time.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 12 - Number of Prospective Jurors

Section 12. On or before the first day of July of each year, the office of jury commissioner shall determine the number of prospective jurors to be drawn from each city and town. This number shall be as nearly as possible equal to the ratio of the population of the city or town to the entire population of the judicial district in which the particular city or town is situated, multiplied by the total number of prospective jurors required for the judicial district. The total number of prospective jurors required for each judicial district shall be determined by the jury commissioner as a matter of discretion. The population of the cities, towns, and judicial districts required under this section shall be determined from the numbered resident lists.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 13 - Random Selection of Prospective Jurors

Section 13. On or before the first day of September of each year, the office of the jury commissioner shall randomly select prospective jurors for each city and town from the corresponding numbered resident list or numbered resident file. Each such numbered resident, so identified and selected, shall be a prospective juror of the city or town. The random procedure and method used for the selection of prospective jurors and the method of generation of random numbers shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. Technical data on the integrity of the random number generation method used under this section shall be compiled by the office of jury commissioner. Such data shall be available to members of the public upon request.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 14 - Typewritten Lists From Cities and Towns Not Submitting Numbered Resident Files

Section 14. On or before the first day of August of each year, each city and town that has not submitted a numbered resident file pursuant to section eleven of this chapter shall submit to the office of jury commissioner a typewritten list of the randomly selected prospective jurors from such city or town. This list shall be typed on special forms, supplied by the office of jury commissioner without cost, in order that the list will be suitable for conversion into a data processing file by the office of jury commissioner. The content and format of such list and the special forms shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. The cost of typing the special forms shall be paid by the city or town. The cost of preparing a data processing file from the typewritten list shall be paid by the office of jury commissioner.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 15 - Preparation of Prospective Juror List

Section 15. On or before the first day of September of each year, the office of jury commissioner shall prepare the prospective juror list for each city and town. Each list shall contain the names, addresses, dates of birth, and related information for all randomly selected prospective jurors from the city or town. The list shall be in alphabetical order. The content and format of the prospective juror list shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. On or before the first day of October of each year, the office of jury commissioner shall mail two copies of the prospective juror list to each city and town. Each city and town shall make this list available for inspection by members of the public. The office of jury commissioner shall make the prospective juror list of any city or town available for inspection by members of the public upon request; provided, however, that such lists shall be available only to insure the integrity of the juror selection process and the accountability of the office of jury commissioner, and that the jury commissioner shall have discretionary authority to refuse to provide such lists for commercial or research purposes.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 16 - Master Juror List; Random Shuffling; Summoning Jurors in Sequence

Section 16. On or before the first day of October of each year, the office of jury commissioner shall prepare the master juror list for each judicial district. The master juror list for a judicial district shall contain the aggregate of all prospective juror lists of cities and towns within the judicial district. The office of the jury commissioner shall randomly shuffle the names that appear on the master juror list and store the list as a data processing file. After the random shuffling of the names that appear on the master juror list has occurred, the office of jury commissioner shall summon grand and trial jurors for a judicial district in sequence from the master juror list for the judicial district commencing with juror service to be performed on the first business day in January of the succeeding calendar year, unless the supreme judicial court shall order otherwise.
The office of jury commissioner may inhibit the summoning of a person on the master juror list on the ground that such person has been determined to be not-qualified to perform juror service under section four of this chapter in the current or previous three years. The content and form of the master juror list shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner. The method of generation of random numbers and the method of randomly shuffling the master juror list shall be specified in the regulations of the jury commissioner.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 17 - Letter of Venire

Section 17. At least twelve weeks prior to the time when the services of grand or trial jurors are required, the clerk of each court requiring such jurors shall send or deliver a letter of venire to the office of jury commissioner. The letter of venire shall state the number of jurors required for grand jury service or for trial jury service, the court, and the judicial district. In the case of grand juror service, the letter shall state the beginning date and the estimated length of the term. In the case of a special grand jury, the letter may require the jury commissioner to summon jurors to appear for service forthwith or within a lesser period than would otherwise be required under this section. In the case of trial juror service, the letter shall state the period or periods of juror service to which the letter applies and the number of jurors required for each day during each period. The letter shall contain any further information which the jury commissioner deems appropriate.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 18 - Discretionary Determination of Number of Jurors to Be Summoned

Section 18. At least twelve weeks prior to the commencement of any term of grand or trial juror service, the jury commissioner shall determine, as a matter of discretion, the numbers of jurors to be summoned from each judicial district for grand and trial juror service. In making these discretionary determinations, the jury commissioner shall consider, among other factors, the experience of each court with respect to the numbers of grand and trial jurors who are impanelled or whose services are used during the impanelling process as compared to the numbers of jurors who are summoned.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 19 - Juror Summons; Contents; Postcard Summons

Section 19. At least twelve weeks prior to the commencement of any term of grand or trial juror service, the office of jury commissioner shall summon by first-class mail, grand and trial jurors from the corresponding master juror list to appear for juror service within each judicial district. The summons shall state whether the anticipated service is that of a grand or trial juror, the beginning date of the term; the name, address, hour and room number, if any, of the courthouse or office to which the juror is directed to report on the first day of service; the fact that a trial juror has the right to one postponement of his term of juror service for not more than one year; the fact that a knowing failure to obey the summons without justifiable excuse is a crime, which, upon conviction, may be punished by fine of not more than two thousand dollars; and such other information and instructions as are deemed appropriate by the jury commissioner. The jury commissioner may use a postcard summons for purposes of summoning grand and trial jurors. A postcard summons shall be considered an official juror summons for purposes of this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 20 - Notice of Qualifications for Juror Service for Each Juror Summoned

Section 20. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a notice of qualifications for juror service to each juror summoned under the provisions of this chapter. A summary of section four of this chapter shall be included in the said notice. This notice shall contain any further information and directions that the jury commissioner deems appropriate.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 21 - Juror Confirmation Form Included With Summons Other Than Postcard Summons

Section 21. Enclosed with a juror summons shall be a juror confirmation form; provided, however, that no juror confirmation form shall be enclosed with a postcard summons. When completed by the juror, this form shall certify whether or not the juror is qualified to serve as a trial or grand juror. The form shall contain the following: a place where the juror may insert the month, day, and year to which the juror elects to postpone his juror service; a place where the juror may make or acknowledge a declaration that hardship would be imposed upon him if he were required to serve at the court location to which he was summoned; a place where the juror may designate a more convenient jury-trial location within the judicial district; a place where the juror may insert name and address corrections, if applicable; and such other information and instructions as the jury commissioner deems appropriate. The form shall also contain a place for the signature of the juror, and it shall be signed under the penalties of perjury.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 22 - Confidential Juror Questionnaire for Each Prospective Juror

Section 22. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a confidential juror questionnaire to each prospective juror. The information elicited by the questionnaire shall be such information as is ordinarily raised in
voir dire
examinations of jurors, including the juror's name, sex, age, residence, marital status, number and ages of children, education level, occupation, employment address, spouse's occupation, spouse's employment address, previous service as a juror, present or past involvement as a party to civil or criminal litigation, relationship to a police or law enforcement officer, and such other information as the jury commissioner deems appropriate. The questionnaire shall contain the prospective juror's declaration that the information supplied in the completed questionnaire is true to the best of his knowledge and that he understands that a wilful misrepresentation of a material fact therein is a crime, which, upon conviction, may be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars. Immediately below such declaration, the questionnaire shall contain a place for the signature of the juror. A notice of the confidentiality of the completed questionnaire shall appear prominently on the face of the questionnaire.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 23 - Use of Juror Questionnaire During Voir Dire

Section 23. Unless the court orders otherwise, the clerk of court or an assistant clerk shall provide copies of the appropriate completed questionnaires to the trial judge and counsel for use during
voir dire.
Except for disclosures made during
voir dire
or unless the court orders otherwise, the information inserted by jurors in the questionnaires shall be held in confidence by the court, the clerk or assistant clerk, the parties, trial counsel, and their authorized agents. Upon completion of
voir dire,
the parties and their counsel shall return all copies of the completed questionnaire to the clerk or the assistant clerk. The clerk of court shall retain in a secure place all original completed questionnaires for each impanelled jury and alternate jurors until final disposition of the case. These completed questionnaires shall not constitute a public record. All copies of juror questionnaire, other than the copy retained by the trial judge and the original retained by the clerk, shall be destroyed as soon as practicable after the completion of
voir dire.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 24 - Response to Postcard Summons; Response to Juror Summons Sent by First-Class Mail

Section 24. (a) Each grand and trial juror shall respond to the postcard summons within 10 days of receipt. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a means for the juror to respond. If the juror is unable to complete and sign the response, the juror may authorize another person to complete and sign the response on the juror's behalf. A notice of the juror's duty to respond to the summons within 10 days of receipt thereof shall appear prominently on the face of the postcard summons.
(b) The office of jury commissioner shall send a juror summons by first-class mail to each grand and trial juror from whom the office of jury commissioner has not received a postcard summons response by the twelfth week preceding the term of service for which the juror was summoned. Each grand and trial juror shall respond to the juror summons within 10 days of receipt. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a means for the juror to respond. If the juror is unable to complete and sign the response, the juror may authorize another person to complete and sign the response on the juror's behalf. A notice of the juror's duty to respond to the summons within 10 days of receipt thereof shall appear prominently on the face of the juror summons. Grand and trial jurors may confirm their service by any other means approved by the jury commissioner including, but not limited to, telephonic and electronic means, and such confirmation shall be as valid and binding as if it were made in writing.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 25 - Final Summons

Section 25. Each grand and trial juror from whom the office of jury commissioner has not received a response to the juror summons by the eighth week preceding the term of service for which the juror was summoned shall be summoned a final time. The final summons shall have the same content and form as the juror summons, except the words ''Final Summons'' shall appear prominently on the face of the summons. The final summons shall be sent by first-class mail, registered mail or served by a sheriff or constable. A juror who receives a final summons shall respond to the final summons within 5 days of receipt thereof by any of the means provided in section 24.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 26 - Summoning of Additional Grand or Trial Jurors; Response; Final Summons

Section 26. (a) Not later than the sixth week preceding any term of grand or trial juror service, the office of jury commissioner may summon additional grand or trial jurors, in the manner provided in sections 19 and 24, if it appears from the responses to the juror summonses that the number of previously summoned jurors who will report for service will be inadequate for the needs of the court. A juror who is summoned under this section shall respond to the juror summons within 10 days of receipt thereof by any of the means set forth in section 24.
(b) Each grand and trial juror summoned under this section from whom the office of jury commissioner has not received a response to the juror summons by the third week preceding the term of service for which the juror was summoned shall be summoned a final time. The final summons shall have the same content and form as the juror summons, except the words ''Final Summons'' shall appear prominently on the face of the summons. The final summons shall be sent by first-class mail, registered mail or served by a sheriff or constable. A juror who receives a final summons shall respond to the final summons within 5 days of receipt thereof by any of the means provided in section 24.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 27 - Time and Manner of Service of Additional Jurors

Section 27. The office of jury commissioner may summon additional grand and trial jurors to appear for juror service forthwith or at a time certain, with or without the right of postponement of juror service, with or without the opportunity to change the selection of the courthouse to which the juror has been assigned, in order to meet the urgent needs of the court. The office of jury commissioner shall employ whatever means of notice, including telephone notice, that is appropriate under the circumstances.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 27a - Questioning of Summoned Juror

Section 27A. After a summons has been received by a juror, no person shall, except as otherwise provided by law, question any juror so summoned for the purpose of obtaining information as to the juror's background in connection with the juror's jury duty.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 28 - Cancellation of Juror Service

Section 28. The office of jury commissioner may cancel grand or trial juror service whenever it appears that the number of jurors scheduled to appear is in excess of the number reasonably required to conduct the business of the court without delay. The office of jury commissioner shall employ whatever means of notice, including telephone notice, that is appropriate under the circumstances. Any juror or standby juror whose service has been cancelled shall not be required to perform service at another time or place because of the cancellation, but such juror shall not be entitled to be disqualified under section four of this chapter if he should be randomly selected again within the succeeding three-year period.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 29 - Modification of Juror Service

Section 29. The office of jury commissioner may modify the date, location, or other condition of grand or trial juror service in order to meet the urgent needs of the court. The office of jury commissioner shall employ whatever means of notice, including telephone notice, that is appropriate under the circumstances.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases › Title II - Actions and Proceedings Therein › Chapter 234a - Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth › Section 30 - Standby Jurors

Section 30. The office of jury commissioner or the court may impose a standby status condition on any trial or grand juror before or during his term of service. A juror on whom such condition has been imposed shall be referred to as a standby juror. The standby juror shall be prepared to serve on each day of his term or service, but he shall not appear for service unless directed to do so in the following manner. The standby juror shall make telephone inquiry to a designated office or court after three o'clock in the afternoon on the court day preceding his term of service in order to obtain specific instructions as to whether or not he should appear for juror service on the following court day. A juror may be continued on standby status from day to day, but his term of service shall not be enlarged because of the standby condition unless the juror has been impanelled on a case or unless ordered by the court. The designated office or court may use an automatic telephone answering device for the purpose of giving instructions to and receiving messages from standby jurors. A notice of standby status may be enclosed with the juror summons or may be sent separately. Any other form of standby notice reasonably contemplated to give actual notice may be used. The court shall have discretionary authority to excuse a juror from the standby condition upon a showing of unusual hardship caused by the condition, but such juror shall serve or be available to serve without the standby condition unless further excused by the court. The office of jury commissioner or the court may order a standby juror to serve or to appear for service upon a date and time certain without the necessity of telephone inquiry by the standby juror. The office of jury commissioner or the court may make further modifications of the standby condition as are reasonably contemplated to facilitate the management of cases before the court.