Massachusetts Laws
127 articles · page 2 of 3
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Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights
Massachusetts security deposit cap is 1 month's rent, must be returned in 30 days with interest. No late fee until 30 days overdue. Rent control banned statewide.
Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Recording Laws
Massachusetts landlord-tenant recording laws. Secret recording between landlords and tenants is a felony. Security camera rules for rental properties explained.
Massachusetts Larceny Laws: Felony Threshold and Shoplifting (2026)
In Massachusetts, larceny over $1,200 or of a firearm is a felony with up to 5 years in state prison. See shoplifting fines, repeat rules and recent changes.
Massachusetts Laws on Recording in Public
Massachusetts public recording laws. Being in public does NOT allow secret audio recording. Silent video is legal but secret audio is a felony. Learn the rules.
Massachusetts Laws on Recording Police
Massachusetts laws on recording police. Your First Amendment right to record officers in public is protected. Body camera rules, wiretap warrants explained.
Massachusetts Lemon Law (2026): How to Qualify and Get a Refund
Massachusetts lemon law covers new vehicles within 1 year or 15,000 miles. Learn the 3-repair-attempt threshold, usage deduction formula, OCABR arbitration, and used-car warranty rules.
Massachusetts License Plate Reader Laws (2026)
Massachusetts has no plate reader statute. McCarthy, the 2026 Cambridge and Freetown laws, pending H.3755, records rules, and local decisions.
Massachusetts Manslaughter Laws: OUI Manslaughter and Vehicle Homicide
Massachusetts manslaughter carries up to 20 years in state prison under G.L. c. 265 s. 13. OUI manslaughter is 5 to 20 years; c. 90 s. 24G covers vehicle homicide.
Massachusetts Marriage and Divorce Records: Where Each One Lives
Massachusetts marriage certificates come from RVRS or a town clerk, but divorce records come from the Probate and Family Court. Fees, years, and how to order.
Massachusetts Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, 3-Day Wait
How to get a Massachusetts marriage license: file intentions with any city or town clerk, wait 3 days, use it within 60 days. Fees, age 18 rule and officiants.
Massachusetts Medical Recording Laws
Massachusetts medical recording laws. Patients can record doctors with disclosure. Secret recording is a felony. HIPAA, telehealth, and provider rules explained.
Massachusetts Medical Records Retention Laws (2026 Guide)
Massachusetts medical records retention laws: how long hospitals and doctors keep your records, HIPAA rules, and patient rights.
Massachusetts Minimum Wage 2026: $15.00 an Hour, Tipped $6.75
Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour with no 2027 increase scheduled. Tipped workers can be paid $6.75 cash if tips cover the rest.
Massachusetts Motorcycle Accident Laws (2026): Deadlines
Massachusetts motorcycle accident law: the 3-year deadline to sue, the 50% fault bar, how no-fault PIP excludes motorcycles, and the universal helmet law.
Massachusetts Name Change Laws: Petitions Are Now Impounded by Default
As of November 25, 2025, Massachusetts name-change petitions are sealed by default and public notice is no longer required. Current law explained.
Massachusetts Noise Laws (2026): Quiet Hours, By-Laws, Fines
Massachusetts noise law: state park quiet hours, MassDEP's 310 CMR 7.10 rule, the $20 to $100 muffler fine, and the town by-laws that set home quiet hours.
Massachusetts Non-Compete Laws (2026): Are Non-Competes Enforceable?
Massachusetts non-competes must meet 8 rules in M.G.L. c. 149, 24L: a 12-month cap, notice, garden leave, and no use against nonexempt or laid-off workers.
Massachusetts Nursing Home Camera Laws: All-Party Consent Risks
Massachusetts has no nursing home camera statute. Its all-party consent wiretap law raises real audio-recording risk. Learn what applies and how to proceed.
Massachusetts Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Fine
Massachusetts bans open containers in the passenger area under Gen. Laws ch. 90, Section 24I, with a stricter driver bar. Fine is $100 to $500.
Massachusetts OUI Laws: Penalties, BAC & License (2026)
Massachusetts OUI laws: the 0.08% BAC limit, first-offense penalties under Chapter 90 Section 24, the 24D program, license suspension, and refusal rules.
Massachusetts Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)
Massachusetts treats a stun gun as a firearm since 2024, requiring a license to carry. Pepper spray needs no permit for adults 18 and up.
Massachusetts Phone Call Recording Laws
Learn Massachusetts phone call recording laws under MGL ch. 272 s.99. All parties must know about recording. Secret recording is a felony with up to 5 years.
Massachusetts Police Bodycam Laws: Retention & Public Access
Massachusetts has no statewide bodycam mandate. See retention rules (180 days to 30 months), public records access, and redaction requirements for footage.
Massachusetts Pornography Laws (2026): No Age-Verification Law Yet
Massachusetts has no age-verification law for porn sites. See obscenity, CSAM, and revenge porn statutes, penalties, and citations.
Massachusetts Power of Attorney Laws: Durable, Medical, and Financial POA (2026)
Massachusetts Power of Attorney Law (G.L. ch. 190B, ss. 5-501 to 5-507): durable POA execution, agent authority, and the separate Health Care Proxy (ch. 201D).
Massachusetts Prenuptial Agreement Laws: Enforceability Rules (2026)
Massachusetts prenups rest on G.L. c. 209 s. 25 and SJC case law. Learn the recording rule, the two-step fair and reasonable test, and how postnups are treated.
Massachusetts Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
Massachusetts probate explained: Probate and Family Court process, intestate succession under MGL c.190B, small estate rules, and the $2M state estate tax.
Massachusetts Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026)
Massachusetts property records are searchable free statewide at masslandrecords.com across all 21 Registry of Deeds districts. Learn how to find an owner.
Massachusetts Public Records Law: 10 Business Days, Fees, and Supervisor of Records Appeals
How the Massachusetts Public Records Law works: the 10 business day response, the 5 cent per page cap, fee waivers, and the Supervisor of Records appeal.
Massachusetts Quitclaim Deed: Covenants, Recording and Excise Tax
A Massachusetts quitclaim deed carries limited covenants under G.L. c. 183, § 11. Learn the acknowledgment, recording, fee and deeds excise rules.
Massachusetts Reckless Driving and Operating to Endanger Laws
Reckless or negligent driving in Massachusetts (c. 90, s. 24(2)(a)): a $20 to $200 fine, 2 weeks to 2 years, or both; revocation unless the court advises otherwise.
Massachusetts Recording Laws (2026): Two-Party Consent Rules
Massachusetts bans secret recording under ch. 272 Section 99. All parties must know recording is happening. Felony up to 5 years. Civil damages from $100/day.
Massachusetts Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Protective Order
Learn how to get a 209A Abuse Prevention Order or 258E Harassment Prevention Order in Massachusetts: who qualifies, how long orders last, and what violations cost.
Massachusetts Ring Doorbell Laws: What You Need to Know in 2026
Massachusetts has one of the strictest wiretapping laws in the US. Learn how Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, section 99 affects Ring doorbells, penalties, and tips.
Massachusetts Scam and Fraud Laws: Where to Report, How to Sue
Massachusetts lets a person injured by a deceptive practice in trade or commerce sue under Chapter 93A after a 30-day demand. Where to report and elder protections.
Massachusetts School Recording Laws
Massachusetts school recording laws. Secret recording at school is a felony. Rules for parents, students, IEP meetings, and school security cameras explained.
Massachusetts Security Camera Laws
Massachusetts security camera laws. Silent cameras are generally legal but audio recording is a felony. Rules for homes, businesses, and rental properties.
Massachusetts Self-Defense Laws: Duty to Retreat & Castle Doctrine (2026)
Massachusetts is a duty-to-retreat state. Outside the home you must retreat if safely possible before using deadly force. G.L. c. 278 s. 8A removes the duty to retreat inside your dwelling. No stand-your-ground law. No civil immunity statute.
Massachusetts Severance Pay Laws (2026): When Is Severance Required?
No general Massachusetts severance law. Statutes cover some changes of control (one held preempted) and live-in domestic workers. Wage Act and UI rules.
Massachusetts Sexting Laws: Legal Consequences and Penalties
Understand Massachusetts's sexting laws: criminal penalties for adults and minors, revenge porn laws, and defenses available under Massachusetts law.
Massachusetts Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability
Massachusetts slip and fall law: modified comparative fault (51% bar), open-and-obvious doctrine, no natural-accumulation rule for ice/snow, 3-year SOL, 2-year gov notice.
Massachusetts Small Claims Court: $7,000 Limit, Fees and How to File
Massachusetts small claims court hears claims up to $7,000, with no limit for car damage claims. Learn the fees, filing, hearings, appeals and collection.
Massachusetts Small Estate Affidavit: $25,000 Voluntary Administration
Massachusetts uses voluntary administration for estates of $25,000 or less in personal property plus a car: file form MPC 170 after 30 days. Rules and fees.
Massachusetts Smart Glasses Recording Laws 2025
Massachusetts bans secret audio recording under ch. 272 § 99. Learn how the LED, Commonwealth v. Hyde, and the open-recording rule apply to smart glasses.
Massachusetts Social Security Disability: Rates & Wait
Social Security disability in Massachusetts: the state SSP supplement (a separate check), automatic MassHealth, approval odds, and Boston-area hearing waits.
Massachusetts Squatters Rights and Adverse Possession Laws (2026)
Massachusetts requires 20 years of adverse possession under ch. 260 § 21. Learn the elements, the registered-land exception, and how to remove a squatter via summary process.
Massachusetts Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type
Massachusetts statute of limitations for civil and criminal cases: filing deadlines for personal injury, contracts, medical malpractice, murder, and more.
Massachusetts Surveillance Camera Laws: Privacy Rules and Penalties
Massachusetts surveillance camera laws require all-party consent for audio recording. Learn rules for home cameras, workplace surveillance, nanny cams, and penalties.
Massachusetts Trade Secret Laws: UTSA, Remedies & Deadlines
Massachusetts Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Mass. Gen. Laws c. 93, §§ 42–42G): definitions, remedies, 3-year deadline, and federal DTSA overlap.
Massachusetts Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Massachusetts holds over $2.4 billion in unclaimed money. Learn how to search FindMassMoney.gov for free and claim what's yours in 2026.
Massachusetts Unemployment Benefits 2026: $1,154 Max, How to File
Massachusetts pays up to $1,154 a week for benefit years starting October 4, 2026, for up to 30 weeks. Learn eligibility, work search, filing and appeal rules.
Massachusetts Video Recording Laws
Massachusetts video recording laws explained. Silent video is generally legal, but video with secret audio is a felony. Voyeurism and revenge porn laws covered.
Massachusetts Voyeurism and Hidden Camera Laws
Massachusetts voyeurism and hidden camera laws. Upskirting, hidden cameras, and revenge porn penalties explained. Up to 5 years prison per offense.
Massachusetts Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Massachusetts has no free name-based warrant search. Learn how to check if you have a warrant in Massachusetts via masscourts.org, iCORI, and your local court.
Massachusetts Whistleblower Laws: Protections and How to Report
Learn about Massachusetts's whistleblower protections: who qualifies, how to report violations, retaliation protections, and available remedies.
Massachusetts Will and Trust Laws: Witnesses, No-Contest (2026)
A Massachusetts will needs two witnesses and has no holographic-will section. A gift to a witness can be void, and no-contest clauses in wills are enforceable.
Massachusetts Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
Massachusetts requires 35% VLT on all side and rear windows. Learn the legal limits, windshield strip rule, medical exemption process, and penalties under MGL ch. 90, s. 9D.
Massachusetts Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
Massachusetts windshield mounting laws: restrictions, penalties, and exemptions. Complete guide.
Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Laws: Benefits, Deadlines, and Your Rights
Massachusetts requires workers' comp for all employers with 1+ employees. Benefits pay 60% of gross AWW. You have 4 years to file a claim. Learn your rights.
Massachusetts Workplace Harassment Laws: Chapter 151B (2026)
Massachusetts Chapter 151B bars sexual harassment by employers with six or more employees, requires a written sexual harassment policy, and allows 300 days to file.