Massachusetts General Laws ch. 262 sec. 4B – Uniform schedule of fees
Section 4B. The court administrator of the trial court, shall, subject to the approval of the supreme judicial court, establish and periodically revise a uniform schedule of fees to be charged by the various departments of the trial court for court documents and services which shall include, but not be limited to, certificates of orders, decrees, rulings, judgments, attested and unattested copies of court documents, records, blank writs and summons, subpoenas, writs of habeas corpus, for other forms, for approving or disapproving sureties on bonds or recognizances, for tape cassette recordings of proceedings in the trial court department, for commissions to take depositions, and for waivers of notice of marriage. No fee pursuant to this section shall be charged to the commonwealth or a state agency; provided, however, that if an action initiated by the commonwealth or a state agency results in the appointment of a fiduciary with control over the assets of an estate, any such fees normally chargeable to an estate shall be deferred until the fiduciary is duly appointed and authorized to expend the assets of the estate.
Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 262 sec. 4B
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.