Massachusetts
Massachusetts: statutes read at the official source for people acting for themselves, each with its citation and the date it was read.
Acting for yourself
Section 41: Unauthorized practice of law; solicitation of business; penalty
M.G.L. c.221 § 41 · malegislature.gov · read 2026-08-19 · official source
Renting and landlord-tenant
security deposit, return deadline
The lessor shall, within thirty days after the termination of occupancy under a tenancy-at-will or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease agreement, return to the tenant the security deposit or any balance thereof
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4) · read 2026-08-21 · official source
Not verified for Massachusetts: Month-to-month notice (ch. 186 § 12), the 14-day nonpayment notice (ch. 186 § 11), the self-help ban (ch. 186 § 14) and summary process (ch. 239) were not fetched, only § 15B was read.
Small claims
The court that hears these in Massachusetts is the Small claims procedure within the District Court Department and the Boston Municipal Court Department.
$7,000
CONDITIONAL. The $7,000 cap does NOT apply to an action for property damage caused by a motor vehicle (no limit stated). A city or town may sue for unpaid personal property taxes in any amount, or bring any other action up to $15,000.
There shall be within the district court department and the Boston municipal court department a simple, informal and inexpensive procedure, hereinafter called the procedure, for the determination, according to the rules of substantive law, of claims in the nature of contract or tort, other than slander and libel, in which the plaintiff does not claim as debt or damages more than $7,000; provided, however, that a city or town may bring an action under section 35 of chapter 60 for the collection of unpaid taxes on personal property in any amount or any other action which shall not exceed $15,000; and provided further, that said dollar limitation shall not apply to an action for property damage caused by a motor vehicle, and for a review of judgments upon such claims when justice so requires.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, § 21 · read 2026-08-21 · official source
Not verified: Attorney representation not read.; mass.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated requests, so no self-help URL is recorded.
How long you have to bring a claim
| Kind of claim | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| written contract | 6 years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2 · read 2026-08-21 |
| oral contract | 6 years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2 · read 2026-08-21 |
| personal injury | 3 years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A · read 2026-08-21 |
| property damage | 3 years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A · read 2026-08-21 |
Limitation periods have exceptions: when the clock starts (accrual), tolling, discovery rules, and claims against government bodies often differ. These entries record the general period as the statute states it, on the date read. They are not a calculation of any particular deadline.
Not verified: Wage claims and debt-on-account not read. Chapter 260 § 1 (twenty-year contracts under seal) was referenced by § 2 but not opened.
Court decisions from Massachusetts
Boston Housing Authority v. Hemingway
Therefore, we hold that in a rental of any premises for dwelling purposes, under a written or oral lease, for a specified time or at will, there is an implied warranty that the premises are fit for human occupation.
Massachusetts' highest court recognized an implied warranty that rented dwellings are fit for human occupation.
363 Mass. 184 (1973) · Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts · read 2026-08-21 · official source
What this page is, and is not
Everything above was read at the source named next to it, on the date named next to it. Nothing is summarised from memory and nothing is carried over from a neighbouring state. Statutes are amended, so read the source before relying on it.
This is general legal information about Massachusetts. It is not advice about your situation, and it is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.