MASSACHUSETTS GUIDE
TO EVIDENCE

2013 Edition


Supreme Judicial Court
Advisory Committee
on Massachusetts Evidence Law

Reflecting the status of Massachusetts Evidence Law through December 31, 2012

  Copyright 2013, Supreme Judicial Court. All rights reserved.  Permission is granted to reproduce this work for personal use.
To obtain permission to reprint this work for educational or commercial use, contact the Court's Public Information Office at 617-557-1114. All requests are welcome.

To offer suggestions or other comments on the content of the Guide, contact the Reporter of the Guide, Joseph Stanton, at Joseph.Stanton@appct.state.ma.us

For a PDF version of the Guide, click here.

STATEMENT FROM THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT AND INTRODUCTION

ADDENDUM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

101. Title
102. Purpose and Construction
103. Rulings on Evidence, Objections, and Offers of Proof
104. Preliminary Questions
105. Limited Admissibility
106. Doctrine of Completeness

ARTICLE ll. JUDICIAL NOTICE

201. Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts
202. Judicial Notice of Law

ARTICLE lll. INFERENCES, PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE, AND PRESUMPTIONS

301. Civil Cases
302. Criminal Cases

ARTICLE IV. RELEVANCY AND ITS LIMITS

401. Relevant Evidence
402. Relevant Evidence Generally Admissible; Irrelevant Evidence Inadmissible
403. Grounds for Excluding Relevant Evidence
404. Character Evidence Not Admissible to Prove Conduct; Exceptions; Other Crimes
405. Methods of Proving Character
406. Routine Practice of Business; Individual Habit
407. Subsequent Remedial Measures
408. Compromise and Offers to Compromise in Civil Cases
409. Expressions of Sympathy in Civil Cases; Payment of Medical and Similar Expenses
410. Inadmissibility of Pleas, Offers of Pleas, and Related Statements
411. Insurance
412. Past Sexual Conduct and Alleged Sexual Reputation (Rape-Shield Law)
413. First Complaint of Sexual Assault
414. Industry and Safety Standards

ARTICLE V. PRIVILEGES AND DISQUALIFICATIONS

Introductory Note
501. Privileges Recognized Only as Provided
502. Attorney-Client Privilege
503. Psychotherapist-Patient Privilege
504. Spousal Privilege and Disqualification; Parent-Child Disqualification
505. Domestic Violence Victims' Counselor Privilege
506. Sexual Assault Counselor-Victim Privilege
507. Social Worker-Client Privilege
508. Allied Mental Health or Human Services Professional Privilege
509. Identity of Informer, Surveillance Location, and Protected Witness Privileges
510. Religious Privilege
511. Privilege Against Self-Incrimination
512. Jury Deliberations
513. Medical Peer Review Privilege
514. Mediation Privilege
515. Investigatory Privilege
516. Political Voter Disqualification
517. Trade Secrets
518. Executive or Governmental Privilege
519. State and Federal Tax Returns
520. Tax Return Preparer
521. Sign Language Interpreter-Client Privilege
522. Interpreter-Client Privilege
523. Waiver of Privilege
524. Privileged Matter Disclosed Erroneously or Without Opportunity to Claim Privilege
525. Comment upon or Inference from Claim of Privilege
526. Unemployment Hearing Privilege

527. Judicial Deliberation Privilege

ARTICLE VI. WITNESSES

601. Competency
602. Lack of Personal Knowledge
603. Oath or Affirmation
604. Interpreters
605. Competency of Judge as Witness
606. Competency of Juror as Witness
607. Who May Impeach
608. Impeachment by Evidence of Character and Conduct of Witness
609. Impeachment by Evidence of Conviction of Crime
610. Religious Beliefs or Opinions
611. Manner and Order of Interrogation and Presentation
612. Writing or Object Used to Refresh Memory
613. Prior Statements of Witnesses, Limited Admissibility
614. Calling and Interrogation of Witnesses by Court or Jurors
615. Sequestration of Witnesses

ARTICLE VII. OPINION AND EXPERT EVIDENCE

701. Opinion Testimony by Lay Witnesses
702. Testimony by Experts
703. Bases of Opinion Testimony by Experts
704. Opinion on Ultimate Issue
705. Disclosure of Facts or Data Underlying Expert Opinion
706. Court Appointed Experts

ARTICLE VIII. HEARSAY

Introductory Note
801. Definitions
802. Hearsay Rule
803. Hearsay Exceptions; Availability of Declarant Immaterial
804. Hearsay Exceptions; Declarant Unavailable
805. Hearsay Within Hearsay
806. Attacking and Supporting Credibility of Hearsay Declarant

ARTICLE IX. AUTHENTICATION AND IDENTIFICATION

901. Requirement of Authentication or Identification
902. Self-Authentication
903. Subscribing Witness Testimony Not Necessary

ARTICLE X. CONTENTS OF WRITINGS AND RECORDS

1001. Definitions
1002. Requirement of Original (Best Evidence Rule)
1003. Admissibility of Duplicates
1004. Admissibility of Other Evidence of Contents
1005. Official Records
1006. Summaries
1007. Testimony or Written Admission of Party
1008. Functions of Judge and Fact Finder

ARTICLE XI. MISCELLANEOUS SECTIONS

1101. Applicability of Evidentiary Sections
1102. Spoliation or Destruction of Evidence
1103. Sexually Dangerous Person Proceedings
1104. Witness Cooperation Agreements
1105. Third-Party Culprit Evidence
1106. Abuse Prevention Act Proceedings
1107. Inadequate Police Investigation Evidence
1108. Access to Third-party Records Prior to Trial in Criminal Cases (Lampron-Dwyer protocol)
1109. View
1110. Consciousness of Guilt or Liability
1111. Missing Witness

1112. Eyewitness Identification

INDEX