Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209C § 4

Current through Chapters 1 to 249 and Chapters 253 to 255 of the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 209C:4 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Venue; service

Actions under this chapter to establish parentage, support, custody or visitation of a child shall be filed in the judicial district or county in which the child and 1 of the parents lives and if neither of the parents lives in the same judicial district or county as the child then the complaint shall be filed in the judicial district or county where the child lives; but, if the parents have been parties to a prior action under this chapter and that action has not been dismissed, a subsequent action under this chapter may be filed in the judicial district or county where the earlier action was filed. The fact that the child was conceived, was born, or lives outside the commonwealth does not bar a proceeding to establish parentage pursuant to this chapter. Service of the complaint shall be made in accordance with applicable rules of court. In addition to those otherwise authorized to serve civil process, any officer authorized under the laws of the commonwealth to serve criminal process may serve any process under this chapter.

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209C, § 209C:4

Amended by Acts 2024, c. 166,§ 16, eff. 1/1/2025.
Amended by Acts 2005 , c. 163, § 48, eff. 12/8/2005.
This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.