Chapter 262

Section 53A. Any police officer named in section fifty and section fifty-three who attends as a witness at a place other than his residence in a criminal case pending in a district court, including the municipal court of the city of Boston, or in a juvenile court, or in the super…

Section 53B. Any uniformed member of the department of state police, appointed under section ten of chapter twenty-two C, on duty at night, or on vacation or furlough, or on a day off, who attends as a witness in a civil or criminal suit pending in a district court or in a juveni…

Section 53C. Any police officer, including an officer of the department of state police appointed under section ten of chapter twenty-two C, on duty at night or on vacation, furlough or on a day off, who attends as a witness for the commonwealth in a criminal case pending in a di…

Section 55. Railroad police shall not be entitled to any fees for attendance upon a trial as witnesses for the commonwealth, but they may be allowed their necessary expenses therefor.

Section 56. Except as otherwise provided, an officer of the commonwealth whose salary is fixed by law, or any employee of the commonwealth receiving regular compensation therefrom shall not be entitled to a witness fee before any court in a cause in which the commonwealth is a pa…

Section 57. If it appears on oath that a salaried officer of the commonwealth has attended court as a witness in behalf of the commonwealth, at a place other than his residence, and that his necessary expenses have been increased by such attendance, the court may allow such incre…

Section 58. Whoever receives a witness fee or allowance for increased necessary expenses in violation of any provision of the three preceding sections shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars. Every clerk of a court shall report forthwith to the district a…

Section 59. If witnesses are in attendance in two or more criminal cases pending at the same time before the same court, they shall not be allowed full travel and attendance in each case, but the justice or clerk of the court may reduce and apportion the same, allowing at least o…

Section 6. When a judgment or decree is entered up, and upon inspection it appears that the record thereof or the record of the proceedings will be of unusual length, the court may order the prevailing party to pay such amount, in addition to the entry fee, as may be just and equ…

Section 60. If, on the trial of a criminal case, it appears that a witness has induced the defendant to commit the crime with which he is charged with intent to appear as a witness against him, the court or magistrate may in his discretion refuse to allow him his fees.

Section 61. A sheriff, deputy sheriff or other officer who takes the certificates of witnesses in criminal cases shall not purchase or discount or have any interest in orders drawn or demands upon the treasury by such witnesses.

Section 62. Whoever, with intent to defraud, signs or procures to be signed a certificate of attendance or travel as a witness before a court, or reference founded upon a rule of court, in any case in which the witness did not so attend, or for a greater number of days than he ac…

Section 63. If the administration of justice or the progress of business in criminal proceedings is delayed, obstructed or prevented by the negligence of a magistrate in certifying and returning recognizances, records or other official papers which it is his duty to transmit to a…

Section 64. If the court finds that a complaint in a criminal case is unfounded, frivolous or malicious, it may refuse to allow any fees to the complainant.

Section 7. Clerks of the courts shall collect all fees in advance.

Section 8. The fees of sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and constables shall be as follows: (a) for the service of civil process: (1) for service of an original summons, trustee process, subpoena or scire facias, either by reading it or by leaving a copy thereof, $20 for each defendant …

Section 8A. Each deputy sheriff and constable shall annually on or before the fifteenth day of April file with the county treasurer an account signed by him under the penalties of perjury of all fees and money received by him under the provisions of section eight for the service …

Section 9. If the person who delivers or forwards a process to an officer for service requests him to return it by mail or express, compensation shall not be allowed for more than twenty miles' travel in the service, unless the officer actually and necessarily travels more than t…