Massachusetts · statute · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260 · 47 active provisions
Section 1. The following actions shall be commenced only within twenty years next after the cause of action accrues: First, Actions upon contracts under seal. Second, Actions upon bills, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued by a bank. Third, Actions upon promissory notes signed in the presence of an attestin…
Section 2. Actions of contract, other than those to recover for personal injuries, founded upon contracts or liabilities, express or implied, except actions limited by section one or actions upon judgments or decrees of courts of record of the United States or of this or of any other state of the United States, shall,…
Section 2A. Except as otherwise provided, actions of tort, actions of contract to recover for personal injuries, and actions of replevin, shall be commenced only within three years next after the cause of action accrues.
Section 2B. Action of tort for damages arising out of any deficiency or neglect in the design, planning, construction or general administration of an improvement to real property, other than that of a public agency as defined in section thirty-nine A of chapter seven shall be commenced only within three years next afte…
Section 2C. Actions commenced under the provisions of section eighty-five S of chapter two hundred and thirty-one shall be commenced only within two years next after the cause of action accrues, or within one year next after the discovery of the act, whichever is later.
Section 2D. Any action brought by or on behalf of any county, city, town, regional school district, housing authority or the commonwealth or any other political subdivision thereof to recover any costs associated with asbestos related corrective actions including, but not limited to, the removal and replacement of asbe…
Section 2E. Notwithstanding the provisions of section two A, every cause of action for personal injury or death caused by the effects of the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device, so called, shall be brought against the Dalkon Shield Claimants Trust not later than one year from the date of the certification by the United S…
Section 2F. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, every cause of action concerning prescription opioids brought against Purdue Pharma L.P., Purdue Pharma Inc., or any of those companies' current or former owners, directors, officers or consultants shall be brought not later than the date required by this…
Section 3. Actions against sheriffs for the misconduct or negligence of their deputies shall be commenced only within four years next after the cause of action accrues.
Section 3A. Petitions founded upon claims against the commonwealth prosecuted under chapter two hundred and fifty-eight shall be brought only within three years next after the cause of action accrues; provided, however, that an action which relates to the sexual abuse of a minor, as provided in section 4C, shall be gov…
Section 4. Actions of contract or tort for malpractice, error or mistake against attorneys, certified public accountants and public accountants, actions for assault and battery, false imprisonment, slander, libel, actions against sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, constables or assignees in insolvency for the taking or convers…
Section 4A. Actions to recover back wages based upon any judicial interpretation of a state or federal statute differing from or overruling a previous interpretation of the same shall be commenced only within one year next after the date of such new judicial interpretation.
Section 4B. Actions of tort for bodily injuries or for death or for damages to property against the owner or operator of a motor vehicle, the operator of which failed to make himself or said owner known at the time of the accident or incident out of which such actions arise may, notwithstanding any provisions of law re…
Section 4C. Actions of tort alleging the defendant sexually abused a minor shall be commenced within 35 years of the acts alleged to have caused an injury or condition or within 7 years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was caus…
Section 4D. (a) A victim of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude under section 50 of chapter 265 or of trafficking of persons for forced services under section 51 of said chapter 265 may bring a civil action for trafficking of persons for forced labor or services or sexual servitude. The court may award actual d…
Section 4E. (a) A victim of female genital mutilation pursuant to section 60 of chapter 265 may bring a civil action for female genital mutilation. The court may award actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief or any other appropriate relief. A prevailing plaintiff shall also be awarded…
Section 5. Actions for penalties or forfeitures under penal statutes, if brought by a person to whom the penalty or forfeiture is given in whole or in part, shall be commenced only within one year next after the offence is committed. But if the penalty or forfeiture is given in whole or in part to the commonwealth, an…
Section 5A. Actions arising on account of violations of any law intended for the protection of consumers, including but not limited to the following: chapter seventy-five C; chapter seventy-five D; section seven N of chapter ninety; sections twenty-one, twenty-one D, twenty-eight, forty-eight, forty-nine, sixty-nine, a…
Section 5B. Actions arising on account of violations of any law intended for the protection of civil rights, including but not limited to actions alleging employment, housing and other discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, ancestry or handicap shall be commenced only within three…
Section 6. In an action of contract brought to recover the balance due upon a mutual and open account current, the cause of action shall be held to have accrued at the time of the last item proved in the account.
Section 7. If the person entitled thereto is a minor, or is incapacitated by reason of mental illness when a right to bring an action first accrues, the action may be commenced within the time hereinbefore limited after the disability is removed.
Section 8. If a person is disabled from commencing an action because he is a subject or citizen of a country which is at war with the United States, the time of the continuance of such war after the cause of action accrues shall be excluded in determining the period herein limited for the commencement of the action.
Section 9. If, when a cause of action hereinbefore mentioned accrues against a person, he resides out of the commonwealth, the action may be commenced within the time herein limited after he comes into the commonwealth; and if, after a cause of action has accrued, the person against whom it has accrued resides out of t…
Section 10. If a person entitled to bring or liable to any action before mentioned dies before the expiration of the time hereinbefore limited, or within thirty days after the expiration of said time, and the cause of action by law survives, the action may be commenced by the executor or administrator at any time withi…
Section 11. An action founded on any contract made or act done, if made or done by any person acting as the executor, administrator or other legal representative of the estate of a deceased person, shall be brought within one year, or, if made or done by any person acting as trustee, guardian or conservator, shall be b…