§ 1 Supervision of public records; powers and duties
§ 1A Creation of educational materials; preparation of forms and reference materials; operation of website; development of best practices
§ 3 ”Record” defined; quality of paper and film; microfilm records
§ 3A Recommendations for employment submitted in support of candidates hired by the commonwealth; use of recommendation by hiring authority
§ 4 Regulation of recording materials and devices; mandamus
§ 5 Municipal records; copies
§ 5A Records of meetings of boards and commissions; contents
§ 6 Records of public proceedings; preparation; custody
§ 6A Records access officers; designation; powers and duties
§ 7 Custody of old and other records
§ 8 Preservation and destruction of records, books and papers
§ 8A Destruction of certain records by city and town clerks if micro-photographed
§ 8B Destruction or disposal of records in accordance with chapter 93I
§ 9 Preservation and copying of worn, etc., records
§ 10 Inspection and copies of public records; requests; written responses; extension of time; fees
§ 10A Petition for determination of violation of Sec. 10; enforcement by Attorney General; civil actions
§ 10B Records divulging name, home or email address and phone number; persons who own, possess or have license to carry firearms; government personnel
§ 11 Fireproof vaults and safes
§ 12 Arrangement of records
§ 13 Custodian to demand records; compelling compliance
§ 14 Surrender of records by retiring officer
§ 15 Penalties
§ 16 Surrender of church records; jurisdiction of superior court
§ 17 Municipality in which records to be kept; contracts for records storage; penalty
§ 17A Public assistance records; public inspection; destruction
§ 17C Failure to maintain public records of meetings; orders to maintain
§ 17D Massachusetts natural heritage and endangered species program data base; division records; site-specific rare species information
§ 17E Local filing offices; former Article 9 Uniform Commercial Code records; revised Article 9 records
§ 18 Application of chapter
§ 19 Electronic record keeping systems and databases; capability requirements; storage contracts; certain records to be available on searchable website
§ 20 Payroll, financial and other data in centralized state accounting and payroll systems
§ 21 Documents related to pensions of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority employees
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Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws > Chapter 66 - Public Records

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Interests: includes any form of membership in a domestic or foreign nonprofit corporation. See Massachusetts General Laws ch. 156D sec. 11.01
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.