Section 32. Whoever, having in his custody or power a person entitled to a writ of habeas corpus, transfers him to the custody, or places him under the power or control, of another person, conceals him or changes the place of his confinement, with intent to evade the service of such writ or to avoid the effect thereof, whether the writ has been issued or not, shall forfeit four hundred dollars to the party aggrieved thereby.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 248 sec. 32

  • Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.