Commencement of Actions, Service of Process

  1. Law
  2. Massachusetts General Laws
  3. Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases
  4. Actions and Proceedings Therein
  5. Commencement of Actions, Service of Process

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Section
1

Transitory Actions; General Provisions

Section
2

Transitory Actions; District Courts

Section
2a

Consolidation of Pending Actions Arising Out of Same Accident or Transaction

Section
2b

Actions Arising Out of Same Accident or Transaction Pending in Both Superior and District Courts; Transfer to Superior Court

Section
2c

Actions Arising Out of Same Accident or Transaction; Procedure After Transfer

Section
3

Transitory Actions; Enumeration

Section
4

Replevin Actions

Section
5

Actions by the Commonwealth

Section
6

Counties; Actions by or Against

Section
7

Defective Ways, etc.; Negligence Actions

Section
8

Corporations; Actions by or Against

Section
8a

Reciprocal or Inter-Insurance Exchange; Transitory Actions by or Against Subscribers

Section
9

Transitory Actions by or Against City of Boston

Section
10

Actions by City of Boston; Transfer From County of Suffolk

Section
11

Executors or Administrators; Transitory Actions by or Against

Section
12

Land Title Actions

Section
13

Change of Venue

Section
14

Forfeitures

Section
15

Erroneous Venue; Procedure

Section
16

To 18 - Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 24

Section
19

Unknown Defendant; Procedure

Section
19a

Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 86

Section
20

Process; Issuance

Section
21

22 - Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 87

Section
23

Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 26

Section
24

Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 87

Section
25

Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 26

Section
26

To 30 - Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 26

Section
31

Summons; Leaving at Last Known Address, Etc.

Section
31a

Summons; Service Upon Persons Engaged in Voting

Section
32

Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 28

Section
33

Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 91

Section
34

Further Notice to Absent Defendant

Section
35

Process; Duty of Officer to State Place of Service in Return

Section
36

Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 28

Section
37

Corporations; Persons Authorized to Be Served

Section
38

Foreign Corporations

Section
39

Foreign Insurance Company; Manner of Service

Section
39a

Service on Certain Insurance Companies Severally, or Jointly and Severally, Liable

Section
39b

Reciprocal or Inter-Insurance Exchange; Service on Attorney in Fact of Subscribers

Section
40

Voluntary Associations, Service On

Section
41

Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 93

Section
42

Property Subject to Attachment

Section
42a

Amount Liquidated or Ascertainable by Calculation; Limitation on Attachment

Section
43

Cars and Vessels; Attachment

Section
44

Ships or Vessels; Conditions Precedent

Section
44a

Motor Vehicles; Conditions Precedent

Section
45

Property of Newspaper Offices

Section
45a

Attaching Officer; Powers to Require Security

Section
46

Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 33

Section
47

Successive Attachments on Different Writs

Section
48

Keeper; Appointment; Costs

Section
49

Attached Personalty; Keeping on Owner's Premises

Section
50

Bulky Goods

Section
51

Repealed, 2001, 26, Sec. 44

Section
52

Personalty; Attachment of Proceeds of Sale

Section
53

Further Attachment of Replevied Property

Section
54

Replevin; Liability of Plaintiff for Value

Section
55

Death or Removal of First Attaching Officer

Section
56

Death or Removal of First Attaching Officer; Procedure in Subsequent Attachment

Section
57

Replevied Property; Mode of Attaching

Section
58

Death of Attaching Officer; Continuance of Attachment

Section
59

Duration of Attachment After Judgment

Section
60

61 - Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 103

Section
62

General Provisions

Section
63

Copy of Writ; Deposit in Registry of Deeds

Section
64

Attaching Officer; Duty

Section
65

Register; Duty; Fees

Section
66

Attachment; Time of Taking Effect

Section
67

Fraudulently Conveyed Realty; General Provisions

Section
68

Fraudulently Conveyed Realty; Duty of Register

Section
69

Papers in Actions in Federal Courts; Duties of Registers

Section
70

Encumbered Realty

Section
71

Attachment of Shares of Stock Prohibited

Section
72

Attachment of Property in Possession of Bailee; Limitation

Section
73

Carrier or Warehouseman; Property in Possession

Section
74

Mortgaged or Sold Under Conditional Sales Contract

Section
75

Mortgagee, Lienor, or Conditional Vendor; Duty to State Account

Section
76

Excessive Demands; Penalty

Section
77

Proceeds of Sale; Payment of Creditors

Section
78

Redemption of Mortgage; Duty of Debtor to Repay Redemption Price

Section
79

Holder of Encumbrance; Summoning; Examination

Section
80

Amount Due; Determination

Section
81

Validity of Mortgage; Determination

Section
82

Creditor to Retain Amount Paid by Him

Section
83

Creditor; Right to Hold Property Until Repaid Upon Failure to Recover Judgment

Section
83a

Application of Secs. 74 to 83

Section
84

Insufficient Service of Process; Dismissal of Action or Further Service

Section
85

86 - Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 37

Section
86a

Equitable Attachments; Allowance After Entry of Judgment

Section
87

Sale of Attached Personal Property

Section
88

Perishable Property; Appraisal and Sale

Section
89

Perishable Property; Appraisal and Sale; Proceedings

Section
90

Absent Defendant; Notice

Section
91

Appraisers; Manner of Appointment

Section
92

Perishable Property; Sale After Appraisal

Section
93

Perishable Property; Delivery to Debtor; Condition

Section
94

Bond; Duty to Return With Writs

Section
95

Action on Bond; Executions for Costs Against Attaching Creditors

Section
96

Repealed, 1973, 1114, Sec. 111

Section
97

Action on Bond; Distribution of Money by Court

Section
98

Action on Bond; Protection of Prior Attachments

Section
99

Action on Bond; Right of Creditor Not Joining

Section
100

Action on Bond; Limitation

Section
101

Creditors; Payment and Satisfaction

Section
102

Appraisal at Request of Part Owner

Section
103

Delivery to Part Owner; Conditions Precedent

Section
104

Pledge of Property

Section
105

Restoration

Section
106

Dissolution of Prior Attachment: Application

Section
107

Affidavit and Bond

Section
108

Dissolution of Prior Attachment; Finding of Court

Section
109

Dissolution of Prior Attachment; Effect of Pleadings

Section
110

Dissolution of Prior Attachment; Defences

Section
111

Costs; Damages

Section
112

Proceeding Upon Appeal

Section
113

Judgment; Force and Effect

Section
113a

Method of Dissolving, Discharging or Reducing Attachments

Section
114

Excessive or Unreasonable Attachments; Manner of Reduction or Discharge

Section
114a

Real Estate Attachments; Expiration by Operation of Law

Section
115

Dissolution of Attachment Upon Exhaustion of Appellate Review

Section
115a

Failure of Service Upon Defendant

Section
115b

Repealed, 1975, 377, Sec. 40

Section
116

Death of Defendant

Section
117

Attaching Officer; Liability for Net Proceeds

Section
118

Liability of Creditor for Proceeds Paid Over to Him

Section
119

Counterclaim

Section
120

Dissolution of Attachment Upon Giving of Bond

Section
121

Bond; Hearing Before Approval

Section
122

Debtor's Fees and Costs

Section
123

Debtor's Bond; Filing

Section
124

Release of Sureties of Insolvent Debtor

Section
125

Bond to Pay Value of Property

Section
126

Fees

Section
127

Fraudulently Conveyed Realty

Section
128

Deposit

Section
129

Individual Property of One Defendant

Section
129a

Attaching Officer; Liability for Release of Attached Property

Section
130

Dissolution of Attachment Upon Appointment of Receiver

Section
131

Discharge of Receiver

Section
132

Dissolution of Attachment of Real Estate Upon Release by Plaintiff

Section
133

Persons Authorized; Approval