§ 1 Declaration of purpose; definition; responsibility for support
§ 2 Paternity; acknowledgment or adjudication; statistical information of parties; transmission to registrar
§ 3 Paternity and support actions; jurisdiction; enforcement of prior orders or judgments; juvenile court commitment proceedings; parents convicted of first degree murder
§ 4 Venue; service
§ 5 Persons entitled to maintain actions or execute voluntary acknowledgment of parentage; parties
§ 6 Presumption of paternity; mandatory joinder
§ 7 Representation in paternity actions; appointment of counsel; burden of proof
§ 8 Judgment of paternity; age of father; notice
§ 9 Judgment or order for support; health insurance; financial statement; determination of amount; notice
§ 10 Award of custody; criteria
§ 11 Acknowledgment of parentage; approval; parental agreements regarding custody, support and visitation
§ 12 Trial; exclusion of public
§ 13 Inspection of documents; copies; segregation of records
§ 14 Complaints brought prior to birth
§ 15 Temporary orders; enforcement; information required to be given to petitioner; domestic violence record search
§ 16 Competency to testify; refusal to testify; costs of tests; admissibility of evidence; failure of party to attend; testimony by telephone or affidavit
§ 17 Genetic marker tests; affidavit; refusal to submit to test; costs
§ 18 Judgments or orders of support; enforcement
§ 19 Judgment or temporary order of support; enforcement
§ 20 Modification of judgments; jurisdiction
§ 21 Action to determine mother and child relationship
§ 22 Proceedings barred under this chapter
§ 23 Intermarriage of parents; jurisdiction
§ 24 Forms

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws > Chapter 209C - Children Born Out of Wedlock

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • 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.
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • Pro se: A Latin term meaning "on one's own behalf"; in courts, it refers to persons who present their own cases without lawyers.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.