Transparency

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Below are all of the transparency laws that match your search criteria. Many include a See related provisions prompt which searches our database for laws that may pertain to your result.

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State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Type of obligation Actor
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 66, § 10(a) Public Record Request — Procedure.

(a) A records access officer appointed pursuant to section 6A, or a designee, shall at reasonable times and without unreasonable delay permit inspection or furnish a copy of any public record

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as defined in clause twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4, or any segregable portion of a public record, not later than 10 business days following the receipt of the request provided that: (i) the request reasonably describes the public record sought; (ii) the public record is within the possession, custody or control of the agency or municipality that the records access officer serves; and (iii) the records access officer receives payment of a reasonable fee as set forth in subsection (d).

 

Obligation to respond to public records requests Clerk, Municipality/municipal agency, State/statewide agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 90 Probation Officers — Powers; Inspection of Records.

A probation officer shall not be an active member of the regular police force, but so far as necessary in the performance of his official duties shall, except as otherwise

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provided, have all the powers of a police officer, and if appointed by the superior court may, by its direction, act in any part of the commonwealth. He shall report to the court, and his records may at all times be inspected by police officials of the towns of the commonwealth; provided, that his records in cases arising under sections fifty-two to fifty-nine, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and nineteen shall not be open to inspection without the consent of a justice of his court.

Obligation to collect or record Supervision agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 211E, § 1(c)(8),(f) Massachusetts Sentencing Commission Established.

(c) The commission shall have the power to perform such functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, and may delegate to any member or designated

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person such powers as may be appropriate to the accomplishment of the duties of the commission as set forth below. In particular, the commission shall: (8) make recommendations to the legislature concerning modification or enactment of laws relating to crimes, sentencing, and correctional matters, as well as recommendations concerning programmatic, budgetary and capital matters that the commission finds to be necessary and advisable to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

(f) Except as otherwise provided by law, the commission shall maintain and make available for public inspection a record of the final vote of each member on any action taken by it.

Obligation to collect or record State/statewide agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 221, § 2 Clerks — Duties.

The clerk shall attend all sessions of the court, preserve all the files and papers thereof, keep a docket record of all questions transferred, and of all petitions, complaints or

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other processes presented to the court, and enter thereon the names of the parties in full and of the counsel who appear in their behalf, and a brief description of the nature of the action or proceeding. He shall also record thereon accurate minutes of all orders, decrees or directions of the court in each case, transmit forthwith to the clerks of courts in the several counties all rescripts made or ordered by the court and the papers which belong to the supreme judicial court or the superior court in each case, and receive and keep safely all papers transmitted to him by the clerks of the courts. He shall make copies of all papers on file in said court and of the docket record thereof, if desired, and certify them under the seal of the court. He shall issue such writs or other processes as the court orders, shall charge the fees provided by law for like services for clerks of courts, and if no express fee is provided, he shall receive a fair compensation for the services required of him in analogy to like services for which a compensation is fixed by law. He shall annually, before the last Wednesday of December, account with and pay over to the state treasurer all fees received by him.

Obligation to collect or record Clerk
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 221, § 28 Clerks — Clerk to Exhibit Records.

The clerks of the courts in the several counties and of the supreme judicial and superior courts in Suffolk county shall at the first sitting in each year of the

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supreme judicial court in their counties exhibit their latest books of records to a justice of the court, who shall cause errors and defects therein to be corrected.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Clerk
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 221, § 32 Clerks — Clerk to Account for Fees, Etc.

The clerks of the courts in the several counties, and of the supreme judicial court and superior court department for Suffolk county, shall keep cash books, which shall be the

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property of the commonwealth and shall be and remain a part of the records of the courts, in which they shall keep accounts of all fees received by them for their official acts and services, including fees for copies which they are not required by law to furnish, fees and money in proceedings relative to naturalization or for naturalization certificates, and all fees and money of whatever description or character received by them, or by any assistant or other person in their offices or employment, for any acts done or services rendered in connection with their said offices.

Obligation to collect or record Clerk
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, § 108 Destroying Vessel to Defraud Owner or Insurer.

If the defendant is indigent or if the court finds that ordering such restitution would cause a substantial financial hardship to the defendant or the defendant’s immediate family or the

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defendant’s dependents, the court may determine that the interests of the victim and of justice would not be served by ordering such restitution. In such case, the court shall make specific written findings of the evidence presented which militated against the imposition of restitution.

Obligation to collect or record All courts
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 24(1)(a)(1) Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor or Controlled Substance.

The administrative office of the trial court shall file a report detailing the amount of funds imposed and collected pursuant to this section to the house and senate committees on

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ways and means and to the victim and witness assistance board not later than August 15 of each calendar year.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Court
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 62 Delinquency — Restitution by Child.

If the payment is not made at once, it shall be made to the probation officer, who shall give a receipt therefor, keep a record of the payment, pay the

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money to said injured person, and keep on file his receipt therefor.

Obligation to collect or record Supervision agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 87A Participation in Rehabilitative Programs or Performance of Community Service Work.

Said probation fee shall be collected by the several probation offices of the trial court and shall be transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit into the General Fund of

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the commonwealth. The state treasurer shall account for all such fees received and report said fees annually, itemized by court division, to the house and senate committees on ways and means.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis State/statewide agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 92 Restitution — Payments to Probation Officers.

If a person is placed on probation upon condition that he make restitution or reparation to the person injured by him in the commission of his offence, and payment is

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not made at once, the court may order that it shall be made to the probation officer, who shall give receipts for and keep record of all payments made to him, pay the money to the person injured and keep his receipt therefor, and notify the clerk of the court whenever the full amount of the money is received or paid in accordance with such order or with any modification thereof.

Obligation to collect or record Supervision agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 279, § 1 Suspended Sentences — Imprisonment.

The probation officer shall give a receipt for every payment so made, shall keep a record of the same, shall pay the fine, or all sums received in part payment

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thereof, to the sheriff if such fine is imposed in the superior court, or to the clerk of the court if such fine is imposed in the district court, at the end of the period of probation or any extension thereof, and shall keep on file the sheriff's or clerk's receipt therefor.

Obligation to collect or record Supervision agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 280, § 6A Special Cost Assessments.

Before imposing a fine or forfeiture as a punishment or part punishment for a crime, the court or justice shall levy as a special cost assessment an amount equal to

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twenty–five per cent of the fine or forfeiture; provided however, that no special cost assessment shall be levied on fines or forfeitures for minor motor vehicle offenses, and juvenile offenses or acts of delinquency . . . Said cost assessment shall be accounted for by the clerk of the court and forwarded to the state treasurer who shall deposit such assessment in the General Fund.

Obligation to collect or record Clerk
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 279, § 1A Suspended Sentences — Fines and Imprisonment.

The probation officer shall give a receipt for every payment so made, shall keep a record of the same, shall pay the fine, or all sums received in part payment

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thereof, to the clerk of the court at the end of the period of probation or any extension thereof, and shall keep on file the clerk's receipt therefor. 

Obligation to collect or record Supervision agency
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 280, § 15 Commitment of Debtor — Payments — Quarterly Returns and Accounting of Moneys Received.

Every keeper of a jail and superintendent of a house of correction shall, on the first days of January, April, July and October, pay over to the state treasurer all

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money received by him under the preceding section during the preceding three months, and render to said state treasurer an account, on oath, showing the names of prisoners by whom payments have been so made, the court by which each was committed and the amount received from each.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Supervision agency
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Massachusetts Ma. Dist./Mun. Ct. Supp. R. Crim. P. 108(9) Appointment and Compensation of Attorneys

An attorney's bill for services shall be submitted to the clerk of the court within thirty days of termination of services. A separate bill shall be rendered for each defendant.

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Said bill shall be in the form prescribed by the Chief Justice of the District Court Department, but an attorney shall supply any additional information on the nature and extent of his services as the Presiding Justice of the court shall require. Failure to file a bill promptly shall be grounds for removal of the attorney from the list.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Other
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 280, § 8 Accounts of Payments on Fines

The clerk of the superior court for the transaction of criminal business for Suffolk county, the clerks of the municipal courts in Boston, the sheriff, superintendent of the house of

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correction or other officer, except those named in the following section, upon receiving fines, fees or other money in any criminal proceedings, payable to the commonwealth or to a city or town shall, before the tenth day of every month, pay over to the state treasurer and account, on oath, for all fines, fees or other money so received during the preceding calendar month, and make the detailed statements required by law.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Clerk
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 280, § 7 Certificates of Fines Imposed.

At the end of every sitting of the superior court for the transaction of criminal business, the clerk shall make and deliver to the state treasurer certificates of all fines

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imposed by the court, to the use of the commonwealth or to the treasurer of a city or town under the provisions of section two of this chapter.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Clerk
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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 44 Fees and expenses in district court in record sent to superior court

If the defendant is held to appear before the superior court, the copies and record of proceedings sent to the superior court shall contain the details of all fees and

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expenses allowed or paid in the district court.

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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 280, § 9 Fines paid; transfer to state treasurer by clerks of courts in Suffolk county

The clerks of all courts in Suffolk county, except those named in the preceding section, who are required to account to the commonwealth shall, on or before the tenth day

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of each month, pay over to the state treasurer and account, on oath, for all fines, fees and other money received by them in any criminal proceedings during the preceding calendar month remaining after the payments therefrom allowed by law.

Obligation to report/conduct analysis Clerk