Section 78. A writing of any description or a copy of any writ required by law to be filed or recorded in the registry of deeds in order to create or preserve any lien, right or attachment upon unregistered land, if intended to affect registered land shall, except in the case of notices, releases and discharges of child support liens pursuant to chapter one hundred and nineteen A, federal tax liens and other federal liens which may be filed in the commonwealth, in lieu of recording, be filed and registered in the office of the assistant recorder for the registry district where the land lies, and, in addition to any particulars required in such papers for recording with records of deeds, shall also contain a reference to the number of the certificate of title of the land to be affected, and the volume and page of the registration book in which the certificate is registered, and also, if the attachment, right or lien is not claimed on all the land in any certificate of title, shall contain a description sufficiently accurate for identification of the land intended to be affected.

Ask a real estate law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified real estate lawyers.
Specialties include: All Real Estate Law, Landlord and Tenant Law, Foreclosure, Homeowners' Association, Trespassing, Property Law, General Legal and more.
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 185 sec. 78

  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.