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General Laws

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Section 1General provisions
Section 1AIrretrievable breakdown of marriage; commencement of action; complaint accompanied by statement and dissolution agreement; procedure
Section 1BIrretrievable breakdown of marriage; commencement of action; waiting period; unaccompanied complaint; procedure
Section 2Confinement for crime
Section 3Absence; presumption of death
Section 4Domicile of parties
Section 5Exceptions
Section 6Venue
Section 6ARepealed, 1931, 426, Sec. 88
Section 6BFiling of action; statistical report
Section 7Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 13
Section 8Commencement of actions
Section 8ARepealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 15
Section 9Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 16
Section 9ARepealed, 1922, 542, Sec. 3
Section 10Repealed, 1975, 400, Sec. 17
Section 11Ex parte hearing; allowance or denial of motion to insert name of third person
Section 12Spouse’s property; attachment
Section 13Attachment; manner
Section 14Attachments; laws applicable
Section 15Mentally ill defendant; appointment and compensation of guardian
Section 16Investigation of divorce case
Section 17Pendency of action; allowance; alimony
Section 18Pendency of action for divorce; protection of personal liberty of spouse; restraint orders authorized
Section 19Pendency of action for divorce; custody of children
Section 20Continuance of action; temporary separation
Section 20AJudgment denying divorce; living apart for justifiable cause; authorization
Section 21Divorce judgments; entry
Section 22Desertion; proof
Section 23Resumption of former name by woman
Section 24Divorced parties; remarriage
Section 24ACertificate of divorce; contents
Section 25Divorce for adultery of wife; legitimacy of issue
Section 26Repealed, 1949, 76, Sec. 1
Section 27Curtesy or dower after divorce
Section 28Children; care, custody and maintenance; child support obligations; provisions for education and health insurance; parents convicted of first degree murder
Section 28ATemporary care; custody and maintenance of minor children
Section 29Minor children; foreign divorces, care and custody
Section 30Minor children; removal from commonwealth; prohibition
Section 31Custody of children; shared custody plans
Section 31AVisitation and custody orders; consideration of abuse toward parent or child; best interest of child
Section 32Child; bringing before court; writ of habeas corpus
Section 33Jurisdiction; procedure
Section 34Alimony or assignment of estate; determination of amount; health insurance
Section 34AAlimony judgment ordering conveyance; effect
Section 34BOrder to vacate marital home
Section 34COrders to vacate marital home and orders of restraint; notice to law enforcement agencies; procedures; violations
Section 34DRequest for restraining order or order to vacate marital home; information provided to petitioner upon filing; domestic violence record search; outstanding warrants
Section 35Alimony; enforcement
Section 36Security for payment of alimony or support; enforcement of judgments or orders
Section 36AContinuing jurisdiction to enforce alimony, support and maintenance or child support; order for trustee process
Section 37Alimony; revision of judgment
Section 38Costs
Section 39Foreign divorces; validity
Section 40Cohabitation after divorce
Section 41Personation
Section 42Procurement of unlawful divorce
Section 43Advertisement to procure divorce
Section 44Certificate of divorce; unlawful issuance
Section 45Criminal offenses; notice to district attorney
Section 46Statistical reports; additional information
Section 47Repealed, 1976, 486, Sec. 23
Section 48Definitions applicable to Secs. 49 to 55
Section 49Termination, suspension or modification of general term alimony
Section 50Termination, extension or modification of rehabilitative alimony
Section 51Termination of reimbursement alimony; modification; applicability of income guidelines
Section 52Termination of transitional alimony; modification or extension
Section 53Determination of form, amount and duration of alimony; maximum amount; income calculation; deviations; concurrent child support orders
Section 54Remarriage of payor; income from second job or overtime work
Section 55Reasonable security for alimony in event of payor's death; orders to maintain life insurance; modification of orders