Section 50. Upon complaint made to a court or justice authorized to issue warrants in criminal cases that the complainant has probable cause to suspect and does suspect that gunpowder, dynamite or any other explosives, crude petroleum or any of its products, or explosive or inflammable fluids, or any of the articles named in section thirty-nine, are kept or are to be found in any place contrary to this chapter or regulations made hereunder, such court or justice may issue a search warrant in conformity with chapter two hundred and seventy-six, so far as applicable, commanding the officer to whom the warrant is directed to enter any shop, building, manufactory, vehicle or vessel specified in the warrant, and there make diligent search for the articles specified in the warrant, and make return of his doings forthwith to the court or justice having jurisdiction thereof. Such warrants may be directed to a police officer, the marshal or to the head of the fire department.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 148 sec. 50

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • 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.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
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