Section 44. Whoever, except in compliance with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, gives, signs or issues any writing purporting to grant a divorce to persons who are husband and wife according to the laws of the commonwealth, or purporting to be a certificate that a divorce has been granted to such persons, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than three years, or both.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 208 sec. 44

  • 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.
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