Massachusetts § 17 Civil or criminal liability of governmental officials; willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence by governmental entities resulting in deterioration or destruction of evidence; damages

Massachusetts Statutes

§ 17 — Civil or criminal liability of governmental officials; willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence by governmental entities resulting in deterioration or destruction of evidence; damages

Massachusetts § 17

Part IVCRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES

Title IIPROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES

Ch. 278APOST CONVICTION ACCESS TO FORENSIC AND SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS

This text of Massachusetts § 17 (Civil or criminal liability of governmental officials; willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence by governmental entities resulting in deterioration or destruction of evidence; damages) 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. 278A, § 17 (2026).

Text

Section 17.

(a)Governmental officials and employees acting in good faith shall not be liable in a civil or criminal proceeding for any act under this chapter.

(b)If a governmental entity responsible for the preservation of evidence or biological material engages in willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence, which results in the deterioration or destruction of evidence or biological material so that a laboratory is unable to perform adequate or proper analysis, that entity shall be subject to proceedings for contempt.

(c)Nothing in this chapter shall create any cause of action for damages against the commonwealth or any of its subdivisions or officers, employees, agents or subdivisions, except as provided in this section.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Section 17. (a) Governmental officials and employees acting in good faith shall not be liable in a civil or criminal proceeding for any act under this chapter.(b) If a governmental entity responsible for the preservation of evidence or biological material engages in willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence, which results in the deterioration or destruction of evidence or biological material so that a laboratory is unable to perform adequate or proper analysis, that entity shall be subject to proceedings for contempt.(c) Nothing in this chapter shall create any cause of action for damages against the commonwealth or any of its subdivisions or officers, employees, agents or subdivisions, except as provided in this section.

View on official source ↗

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)

Massachusetts § 17, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/statute/ma/278A/17.