Massachusetts § 3A Nature of proceedings and availability of other criminal proceedings; information required to be given to complainant upon filing

Massachusetts Statutes

§ 3A — Nature of proceedings and availability of other criminal proceedings; information required to be given to complainant upon filing

Massachusetts § 3A

Part IIREAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Title IIIDOMESTIC RELATIONS

Ch. 209AABUSE PREVENTION

This text of Massachusetts § 3A (Nature of proceedings and availability of other criminal proceedings; information required to be given to complainant upon filing) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209A, § 3A (2026).

Text

Section 3A. Upon the filing of a complaint under this chapter, a complainant shall be informed that the proceedings hereunder are civil in nature and that violations of orders issued hereunder are criminal in nature. Further, a complainant shall be given information prepared by the appropriate district attorney's office that other criminal proceedings may be available and such complainant shall be instructed by such district attorney's office relative to the procedures required to initiate criminal proceedings including, but not limited to, a complaint for a violation of section forty-three of chapter two hundred and sixty-five. Whenever possible, a complainant shall be provided with such information in the complainant's native language.

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Section 3A. Upon the filing of a complaint under this chapter, a complainant shall be informed that the proceedings hereunder are civil in nature and that violations of orders issued hereunder are criminal in nature. Further, a complainant shall be given information prepared by the appropriate district attorney's office that other criminal proceedings may be available and such complainant shall be instructed by such district attorney's office relative to the procedures required to initiate criminal proceedings including, but not limited to, a complaint for a violation of section forty-three of chapter two hundred and sixty-five. Whenever possible, a complainant shall be provided with such information in the complainant's native language.

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Bluebook (online)

Massachusetts § 3A, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/statute/ma/209A/3A.