Massachusetts Statutes

Section 7. If the libellant maintains his action, the court shall decree a forfeiture and sale of the property and a distribution of the proceeds, or other appropriate disposition thereof. If he fails to maintain it, the court shall decree a restitution of the property to the cla…

Section 8. If property is sold under such decree, the proceeds shall be applied under the direction of the court to the payment of the expenses of the seizure, prosecution and sale; and in default of any other provision for the disposition of the residue, it shall be paid to the …

Section 9. If it is found that the seizure was groundless and without probable cause, reasonable damages shall be assessed for the claimant, and the court shall render judgment for such damages with costs.

Section 1. As used in this chapter the following words shall have the following meanings:— ''Acting within the scope of his office or employment'', acting in the performance of any lawfully ordered military duty, in the case of an officer or soldier of the military forces of the …

Section 10. The provisions of sections one to eight, inclusive, shall not apply to:— (a) any claim based upon an act or omission of a public employee when such employee is exercising due care in the execution of any statute or any regulation of a public employer, or any municipal…

Section 11. If the judgment in any action brought under this chapter is in favor of the public employer, judgment for costs and execution thereon may issue in favor of the public employer, if the court finds the action brought by the claimant to have been frivolous or in bad fait…

Section 12. Claims against the commonwealth, except as otherwise expressly provided in this chapter or by any general or special provision of law, may be enforced in the superior court.

Section 13. Any city or town which accepted section one hundred I of chapter forty-one on or before July twentieth, nineteen hundred and seventy-eight, and any other city which accepts this section according to its charter, and any town which accepts this section in the manner he…

Section 14. For the purpose of satisfying liens for past due child support, securing repayment of public assistance benefits, and past taxes, a public employer shall comply with sections 24D, 24E, and 24F of chapter 175 and any regulations promulgated thereunder in the same manne…

Section 2. Public employers shall be liable for injury or loss of property or personal injury or death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any public employee while acting within the scope of his office or employment, in the same manner and to the same extent a…

Section 3. All civil actions brought against a public employer on a claim for damages cognizable under this chapter shall be brought in the county where the claimant resides or in the county where such public employer is situated, except that in the case of the commonwealth such …

Section 4. A civil action shall not be instituted against a public employer on a claim for damages under this chapter unless the claimant shall have first presented his claim in writing to the executive officer of such public employer within two years after the date upon which th…

Section 5. The executive officer of a public employer may arbitrate, compromise or settle any claim for damages under this chapter; provided, that any award, compromise or settlement in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars shall be made only with the prior approval of the …

Section 6. The public attorney shall defend all civil actions brought against a public employer or public employee of the commonwealth pursuant to this chapter. Service of process for such civil action shall be made upon the public attorney or, where no such public attorney has b…

Section 7. Any award, compromise or settlement of a civil action brought under this chapter in excess of twenty thousand dollars which has been approved by a public attorney for a public employer, or, in the case where the public employer is the commonwealth, approved by the secr…

Section 8. A public employer may procure insurance for payment of damages incurred pursuant to this chapter.

Section 9. Public employers may indemnify public employees, and the commonwealth shall indemnify persons holding office under the constitution, from personal financial loss, all damages and expenses, including legal fees and costs, if any, in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 ar…

Section 9A. If, in the event a suit is commenced against a member of the state police or an employee represented by state bargaining unit five, by reason of a claim for damages resulting from an alleged intentional tort or by reason of an alleged act or failure to act which const…

Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires:— ''Board'', the victim and witness assistance board as established in section four. ''Court'', a forum established under the General Laws for the adju…

Section 10. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as creating an entitlement or a cause of action on behalf of any person against any public employee, public agency, the commonwealth or any agency responsible for the enforcement of rights and provision of services set forth …

Section 11. The rights and duties established under this chapter shall continue to be enforceable until the final disposition of the charges, including acquittal or dismissal of charges, all post-conviction release proceedings, post-conviction relief proceedings, all appellate pr…

Section 12. Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, clerks and corrections officials shall assure that victims of crime are afforded the rights established in this chapter. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the requirements to provide information to…

Section 13. A defendant or person convicted of a criminal or delinquency offense against the victim shall have no standing to object to any failure to comply with this chapter, and the failure to provide a right, privilege or notice to a victim under this chapter shall not be gro…

Section 2. Prosecutors shall not be precluded from providing, subject to appropriation, services under this chapter to any natural person or family member of such natural person who suffers direct or threatened physical, emotional or financial harm as the result of the commission…

Section 3. To provide victims a meaningful role in the criminal justice system, victims and witnesses of crime, or in the event the victim is deceased, the family members of the victim, shall be afforded the following basic and fundamental rights, to the greatest extent possible …

Section 4. There shall be a victim and witness assistance board consisting of 7 members who shall serve without compensation. Notwithstanding any provision of section 6 of chapter 268A to the contrary, the board shall consist of the attorney general or a designee, who shall serve…

Section 5. Each district attorney shall create and maintain, to the extent reasonably possible and subject to the available resources, a program to afford victims and witnesses of crimes the rights and services described in this chapter. Those services shall include but not be li…

Section 6. Each district attorney shall submit annually on January fifteenth to the board, the secretary of administration and finance and the house and senate committees on ways and means, a program plan to be implemented within the district attorney's jurisdiction. The program …

Section 7. The district attorney, local law enforcement agencies, local social service agencies, and court shall cooperate to afford victims and witnesses of crimes, the rights and services described in this chapter.

Section 8. The court shall impose an assessment of no less than $90 against any person who has attained the age of seventeen years and who is convicted of a felony or against whom a finding of sufficient facts for a conviction is made on a complaint charging a felony. The court s…

Section 9. Any assessment imposed pursuant to section eight shall be deposited in the Victim and Witness Assistance Fund, established by section forty-nine of chapter ten. In addition, the board may also apply for and accept on behalf of the commonwealth any private grants, beque…

Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-- [ Definition of "Agency'' inserted by 2025, 9, Sec. 61 effective July 1, 2025. See 2025, 9, Sec. 138.] "Agency'', the Massachusetts office …

Section 10. No compensation shall be awarded or paid unless the out-of-pocket expenses or legal liability of the claimant for services rendered as the result of the crime exceeds any and all of the amounts received, applied for, or to be applied for as the result of the crime fro…

Section 11. Acceptance of any compensation under this chapter shall subrogate the commonwealth, to the extent of such compensation paid, to any right or right of action accruing to the claimant or to the victim to recover payments on account of losses resulting from the crime wit…

Section 12. Any person who: (a) submits a false or fraudulent application or claim for an award; (b) intentionally makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact in relation to any claim pending before the division; or (c) intentionally concea…

Section 13. No person who, in good faith, provides or obtains, or attempts to provide or obtain, assistance for a victim of a crime as defined in section one, shall be liable in a civil suit for damages as a result of any acts or omissions in providing or obtaining, or attempting…

Section 14. When a person files a claim pursuant to this chapter, no health care provider, as defined in section 1 of chapter 111, that has been given notice of the claim shall conduct any debt collection activities relating to medical or dental treatment received by the person i…

Section 15. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all records and information received, obtained or maintained by the agency in connection with any claim for crime victim compensation shall be confidential and privileged. All records and information shall not be discl…

Section 2. (a) No compensation shall be paid under this chapter unless the division finds that a crime was committed and that such crime directly resulted in personal physical or psychological injury to, or death of, the victim. [ Subsection (a) as amended by 2025, 9, Sec. 65 eff…

Section 3. (a) The maximum award for compensation to a claimant pursuant to this chapter shall be $25,000; provided, however, that the maximum award for compensation to a claimant with a catastrophic injury pursuant to this chapter shall be $50,000. If there are 2 or more claiman…

Section 4. (a) The division of victim compensation and assistance shall administer the provisions of this chapter. Subject to appropriation, the attorney general shall designate a program director of said division. Said program director may appoint and remove, subject to the appr…

Section 5. (a)(1) A claim for compensation under this chapter shall be filed within three years of the date of the crime. [ Paragraph (2) of subsection (a) effective until July 1, 2025. For text effective July 1, 2025, see below.] (2) The claimant has the burden of proving by a p…

Section 6. The claimant shall have a continuing obligation to notify the division of a change in address. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the dismissal of the claim for compensation or the termination of a proceeding set forth in this chapter. Chapter 258C: …

Section 7. (a) Within fifteen days of completion of the investigation, the program director shall mail notice to the claimant or the attorney of record stating the amount of compensation to be paid or denied, and the reasons therefor, and the payees, if any. The program director …

Section 8. (a) Within 20 days of the date of mailing of the notice of award or denial, a claimant aggrieved by the program director's decision may request, in writing, a reconsideration of such decision. Said program director shall reconsider any order for which a request for rec…

Section 9. (a) Within thirty days of the date of mailing of the notice of award or denial by the program director, the claimant may petition for judicial review in the district court within the judicial district in which the claimant resides or, in the case of a nonresident claim…