Laws by popular name D-K

An index to Massachusetts laws with popular names D-K

D

Subject	Citations
Date rape drugs	MGL c. 272, § 3
Day of rest ("blue laws")	Mass. Blue Laws
Daylight saving time	MGL c. 4, § 10
Death penalty	See: Law About the Death Penalty
Debt collection, unfair	See: Law About Debt Collection
Delinquent children	MGL c. 119, §§ 52-64 109 CMR (Division of Youth Services Regulations) MGL c. 120 (Youth Services)
Derelict fee statute	MGL c. 183, § 58
Desertion and nonsupport	MGL c. 273
Destination wedding, registering in Mass.	MGL c. 207, § 36
Disclosure, apology and offer (medical malpractice)	St. 2012, c. 224
Discrimination laws	See: Law About Discrimination
Disorderly conduct	MGL c. 272, § 53 & § 54
Divorce	See: Law About Divorce
DNR ("Do Not Resuscitate") program	Office of Emergency Medical Services
Do Not Call	See: Law About Telemarketing
Dog bite law	MGL c. 140, § 155
Dog laws	MGL c. 140, §§ 136A-174D See Also: Law About Animals
Domestic violence	See: Law About Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence and Abuse Leave Act (DVLA)	MGL c. 149, § 52E
Don't Ask Don't Tell Review Board	MGL c. 115, § 16
Dost factors	US v. Dost, 636 F. Supp. 828 (1986)
Dover amendment	MGL c. 40A, § 3
Downs instruction	Comm. v. Downs, 53 Mass. App. Ct. 195 (2001) Comm. v. Wolfe, 478 Mass. 142 (2017)
Dram shop law	MGL c. 138, § 69
Drop shipment rule	MGL c. 64H, § 1
Drunk driving laws	See: Law About Drunk Driving
Duquette Waiver	Comm. v. Duquette, 386 Mass. 834 (1982)
Durable Power of Attorney, Uniform	MGL c. 190B, Art. V, Pt. 5

E

Subject	Citations
Eavesdropping/Wiretapping (including tape recording private conversations)	MGL c. 272, § 99
Education laws (public schools)	MGL c. 71
Eggshell rule: a wrongdoer takes his victim as he finds him	Criminal: Comm. v. Tevlin, 433 Mass. 305 (2001) Tort: Wallace v. Ludwig, 292 Mass. 251 (1935)
Eight hour work day (public employees)	MGL c. 149, §§ 30-44
Elections, Clean	See: Law About Elections and Voting
ELMO Program (Electronic Monitoring of Offenders)	Commissioner of Probation
Emancipation of minor	Mass. does not have a procedure for emancipation of minors. See: Law About Emancipation
Employees' right to bargain	MGL c. 150A, § 3
Endangered Species Act	MGL c. 131A  321 CMR 10
Equal choices law (Medicaid)	MGL c. 118E, § 9
Equal pay, sex discrimination	MGL c. 149, §§ 105A-105D
Equal pay, teachers	MGL c. 71, § 40
Equal rights	MGL c. 151B
ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Orders)	MGL c. 140, §§ 131R-131Y
Erroneous convictions law	MGL c. 258D
Estate tax	See: Law About Estate Tax
Ethics	See: Law About Ethics
Eviction	See: Law About Eviction
Exempt property	MGL c. 235, § 34
Exotic pets	321 CMR 9
Extreme risk protection order	MGL c. 140, §§ 131R-131Y

F

Subject	Citations
Facial recognition	MGL c. 6, § 220
Fair Credit Reporting Act	MGL c. 93, §§ 50-68
Fair educational practices	MGL c. 151C
Fair employment practices	MGL c. 151B
Fair housing	MGL c. 151B
Fair information practices	MGL c. 66A 940 CMR 11 (Fair Information Practices Act regulations (Attorney General)) 950 CMR 33 Fair information practices regulations (Secretary of the Commonwealth)
Fair Share amendment	Article of Amendment CXXI
False claims act	MGL c. 12, §§ 5A-5O 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.
Family Support, Uniform Interstate	MGL c. 209D
Felony (definition & penalty)	MGL c. 274, § 1
Felony murder	Comm. v. Brown, 477 Mass. 805 (2017) MGL c. 265, § 1 MGL c. 265, § 17 MGL c. 265, § 18 MGL c. 265, § 21
Female circumcision	St. 2020, c. 149
First responder law	MGL c. 111, § 201 105 CMR 171 (First responder training)
Flavored tobacco ban	MGL c. 270, § 28
Food Allergy Awareness Act	MGL c. 140, § 6B 105 CMR 590.003(B)(17)   Department of Public Health
Foreclosure, mortgage	See: Law About Foreclosure
Forty-eight hour work week (children)	MGL c. 149, § 56
Foster parents' bill of rights	MGL c. 119, § 23C
Franks hearing	Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154 (1978)
Freedom of Information	See: Law About Freedom of Information

G

Subject	Citations
Garageman's lien	MGL c. 255, § 25
Garnishment	MGL c. 246
Gatekeeper provision	MGL c. 278, § 33E
Gelfgatt motion (re: Compelling decryption of electronic device)	Comm. v. Gelfgatt, 468 Mass. 512 (2014)
Genital mutilation	St. 2020, c. 149
Gifts to minors (Uniform Transfers to Minors)	MGL c. 201A
Ginsberg formula for alimony	Ginsberg, Edward M. Hon. "The Place of Alimony in the Scheme of Things", 7 MCFM News 1 (Sep. 1997)
Good Samaritan laws	Any non-medical person providing aid: MGL c. 112, § 12V EMS personnel: MGL c. 111C, § 21 Overdose - seeking assistance for self or others: MGL c. 94C, § 34A Physicians: MGL c. 112, § 12B Treatment of minors: MGL c. 112, § 12F
Graffiti (Tagging)	MGL c. 266, § 126A & § 126B
Grandfathered lots	MGL c. 40A, § 6
Grandparents' visitation	See: Law About Grandparent Visitation
Green Communities Act of 2008	St. 2008, c. 169
Gun control	See: Law About Guns

H

Subject	Citations
Habitual criminals, sentencing	MGL c. 279, § 25
Habitual traffic offender law	MGL c. 90, § 22F
Hands-free driving	MGL c. 90, § 13B
Hanson Milone Act (boater safety)	St. 2024, c. 350
Harassment	See: Law About Harassment
Hatch Act (flood plains)	MGL c. 131, § 40
Hate Crimes	501 CMR 4
Hazing	603 CMR 33 (High Schools) 610 CMR 5 (Higher Education)
Health care proxy	See: Law About Health Care Proxies
Heart Balm Act	MGL c. 207, § 47A
Heart bill	MGL c. 32, § 94
Helmet laws (motorcycle head gear)	MGL c. 90, § 7 540 CMR 22.08
HERO act (veterans' benefits)	St. 2024, c. 178
Highway defects (potholes)	See: Law About Potholes and Road Defects
Hit and run--personal injury	MGL c. 90, § 24(2)(a-1/2)(1)
Hit and run--personal injury and death	MGL c. 90, § 24(2)(a-1/2)(2)
Hit and run--property damage	MGL c. 90, § 24(2)(a)
Hobbs Act	18 U.S.C. § 1951
Home improvement contractors	See: Law About Home Improvement
Home invasion	MGL c. 265, § 18C
Home rule procedures	MGL c. 43B
Homestead laws	See: Law About Homestead
Honest services fraud	18 U.S.C. § 1346
Human trafficking	St. 2011, c. 178
Humane practice (instruction on voluntariness of confession)	Comm. v. Preece, 140 Mass. 276 (1885) See also: Comm. v. Gallett, 481 Mass. 662 at 685 for a history of the practice

I

Subject	Citations
Idling motor vehicle	MGL c. 90, § 16A
Ignition Interlock Devices	540 CMR 25
Insurance, Automobile	See: Law About Auto Insurance
Interstate probation	MGL c. 127, §§ 151A-151L
Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact	MGL c. 131B
Invasion of privacy	MGL c. 214, § 1B
Irretrievable breakdown of marriage ("no fault divorce")	MGL c. 208, §§ 1A & 1B  MGL c. 208, § 21

J

Subject	Citations
Jackie's Law (construction trenches)	MGL c. 82A  520 CMR 14
Jenkins hearing (probable cause after warrantless arrest)	Jenkins v. District Court, 416 Mass. 221 (1993)
Jessica's Law	St. 2008, c. 205

K

Subject	Citations
Kayla's law (AEDs in health clubs)	MGL c. 93, § 78A
Killer bar law	MGL c. 90, § 24J
Klinghoffer Rule (Working without pay)	US v. Klinghoffer Bros. Realty, 285 F.2d 487 (1960) Rejected by US District Ct (Mass.) in: Norceide v. Cambridge Health, 814 F.Supp. 2d 17 (2011)
Knockout Rule (interpretation of contracts)	MGL c. 106, § 2-207

Last updated:	November 26, 2025