Massachusetts · statute · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 227 · 15 active provisions
Section 1. A personal action shall not be maintained against a person not an inhabitant of the commonwealth unless he or his agent appointed under section five or five A has been served with process in the commonwealth, or unless service has been made upon him outside the commonwealth, as authorized by chapter two hund…
Section 2. If an action is brought by a person not an inhabitant of the commonwealth or who cannot be found herein to be served with process, he shall be held to answer to any counterclaim brought against him by the defendant or defendants, if there be more than one, in the former action.
Section 5. Every individual not an inhabitant of the commonwealth and every partnership composed of persons not such inhabitants, having a usual place of business in the commonwealth, temporarily or permanently, or engaged here, temporarily or permanently, and with or without a usual place of business here, in the cons…
Section 5A. Except as provided in section five, every non-resident doing business in the commonwealth shall file a certificate with the clerk of each city or town where he does business, setting forth his full name, address and place of business and the trade name under which he does business, and also a statement wher…
Section 6. If real property of a non-resident is attached and no personal service is made upon him, the action shall be dismissed unless notice thereof is given, in such manner as the court orders, within one year after the commencement of the action.
Section 7. If a defendant in a civil action is absent from the commonwealth or his residence is unknown to the officer serving the summons and complaint, and no personal service has been made on him or his agent appointed under section five, or if the service of process is defective or insufficient by reason of a mista…
Section 8. If, after such notice, the defendant does not appear within twenty-one days after the day specified therefor, a default shall be entered and judgment rendered against him as provided in section one.
Section 9. If judgment in a personal action is rendered under the preceding section upon the default of a defendant who is absent from the commonwealth or whose residence is unknown, the plaintiff shall not take out execution thereon within one year thereafter, unless he files with the clerk of the court a bond payable…
Section 11. If the execution in an action under this chapter, except as otherwise provided, is levied on land, no alienation thereof by the original plaintiff shall prevent the defendant from retaking the same or as much thereof as may be necessary to satisfy the judgment or order he recovers upon a proceeding for reli…
Section 12. If the original judgment was for seisin of the land demanded in a real action, the writ of seisin may be issued in favor of the plaintiff without his giving bond; and if the judgment is reversed in whole or in part upon a review or other proceeding, whether sued out or commenced within the year or afterward…
Section 13. An action of tort against several defendants, any one of whom is absent from the commonwealth at the time of the service of process, shall be conducted with regard to him relative to the service of process, judgment, review thereof and execution as if he were the sole defendant.
Section 14. An action of contract against several defendants, any one of whom is in the commonwealth and any other of whom is absent, in which the plaintiff recovers judgment shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter relative to review, giving bond and alienation of land; but judgment shall not be rendered…
Section 15. An action of contract against several defendants in which legal service is not made upon all, either by attachment or otherwise, by reason of their absence from the commonwealth or for other sufficient cause, may be prosecuted against those who are duly served with process, without further proceedings again…
Section 16. Real actions against several defendants, any one of whom is absent from the commonwealth, shall be conducted relative to him as if he were the sole defendant.
Section 17. The provisions of this chapter relative to judgment, bond and review in actions of tort shall apply to a mixed action if the defendant or one of several defendants is absent from the commonwealth, but, as to the service of process and notice to the defendant, it shall be conducted as a real action.