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Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 239 § 16

Citation
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 239 § 16
Jurisdiction
Massachusetts (state)
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''Lessor action'', any civil action brought against the owner, manager or lessor of residential premises by the tenant or occupant of such premises relating to or arising out of such property, rental, tenancy or occupancy for breach of warranty, breach of any material provision of the rental agreement or violation of any other law.

''No-fault eviction'', an eviction action in which the notice to quit, notice of termination or complaint does not include an allegation of nonpayment of rent or violation of any material term of the tenancy by the tenant or occupant; provided, however, that a ''no-fault eviction'' shall include an action brought after termination of a tenancy for economic, business or other reasons not constituting a violation of the terms of the tenancy.

(b) A person having a court record of a no-fault eviction on file in a court may petition the court to seal the court record at any time after the conclusion of the action, including exhaustion of all rights of appeal. The petition shall be on a form furnished by the trial court of the commonwealth, signed under the penalties of perjury and filed in the same court as the action sought to be sealed. If an action was active in more than 1 court during its pendency, a petition may be filed in each such court. Notice shall be given to parties to the original action. The court shall comply with the petitioner's request to seal the court record pursuant to this subsection; provided, however, that the record only pertains to a no-fault eviction and the action to which the record relates has concluded with all rights of appeal exhausted. If no objection is filed by a party within 7 days of filing the petition, such court may, in its discretion, process such petitions administratively without a hearing.