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Massachusetts General Law 209A Restraining Order Statutes

 

Note we consider this entire statute unconstitutional and most restraining order granted are probably void for lack of due process.

 
 

PART II. REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

 

TITLE III. DOMESTIC RELATIONS

 

CHAPTER 209A. ABUSE PREVENTION

 

Chapter 209A: Section 1. Definitions

 

Section 1. As used in this chapter the following words shall have the following meanings:

“Abuse”, the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members:

(a) attempting to cause or causing physical harm;

(b) placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm;  (My comments; M.G.L. 209A § 1(b) clearly allows the judge to place a restraining order on you, she fears you might cause her physical harm, I am not justify this damn law simply explaining it to you) - THIS IS BASICALLY the THOUGHT POLICE IN ACTion - IN OTHER WORDS IF A WOMAN THINKS YOU MIGHT DO SOMETHING YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY STRIPPED OF YOU CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR HOME, AND OFTEN UP TO 90% OF YOUR INCOME!!!!

(c) causing another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat or duress…  

 

Below is the entire M.G.L 209A, §1 in word, I would highly recommend you read it. Quite frankly it is scary on what could happen because she fears you.

 

Now according to your email the restraining order was issued under M.G.L. 209A, assuming your correct, now we have an appeal.

 

 

PART II. REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

 

TITLE III. DOMESTIC RELATIONS

 

CHAPTER 209A. ABUSE PREVENTION

 

Chapter 209A: Section 3. Remedies; period of relief

 

M.G.L. 209A(i)¶ 3 reads;

 

Any relief granted by the court shall be for a fixed period of time not to exceed one year. Every order shall on its face state the time and date the order is to expire and shall include the date and time that the matter will again be heard.

 

So your issue would be the fact that you have a permanent RO on you when one was either place on NOT following Mass statue or was erroneously placed on you without evidence from the plaintiff that she would be place in serious imminent fear of you.

 

I would read Mass.App.Ct.,2002. Jones v. Gallagher 54 Mass.App.Ct. 883, 768 N.E.2d 1088 (attached) and Mass.App.Ct.,2002, Dollan v. Dollan 55 Mass.App.Ct. 905, 771 N.E.2d 825 (attached) these are two great case to read and understand.

 

You further stated;

 

Have you read the requirement needed for the brief?

<DRT> I've not seen such a document outlining requirements.

 

I see Bill (nice work Bill) gave you an exhausted length of cites for the rules of Appellate Procedure. Look at rule 16 “Briefs”

 

Are you the appellate or appellant? Depending who you are determines the color of the brief.

<DRT> Appellant

 

Your cover sheet will be light blue.

 

Sacks tried to put a permanent RO on me but once he got wind I was preparing a motion to vacate and appeal the incompetent bastard rewrote his order and gave my ex a second chance to file for a RO and forbid my 10 day notice of hearing.

 

Although I have not talked one time or yodeled one word to my ex in about 7 years nor have I ever been to my ex-wife’s house, she dropped off and pick up my kids(I never trusted being on their turf). Sacks continues to place RO on me.

 

I will do what ever it takes LEGALLY to take Sacks out! He is going to wish his mother swallowed the load he was conceived in when I finish legally with him!

 

SACKS you killed Paul Tromboli!!!!

 

Hello David (Sacks) how are you doing?

 

Look guys with all due respect I understand your fight for shared custody but let me inform you of one thing. Shared parenting is on the books in Massachusetts, I have shared parenting, yet I have not seen my daughter in almost 2 years.

 

It is ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY and until our elected officials, judges, cops, prostitutors and ex-spouse are held accountable for their actions things will NEVER change. They will continue to violate EVERY law there is until held accountable for their actions.

  


PART II. REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

TITLE III. DOMESTIC RELATIONS

CHAPTER 209A. ABUSE PREVENTION

Chapter 209A: Section 3. Remedies; period of relief

Section 3. A person suffering from abuse from an adult or minor family or household member may file a complaint in the court requesting protection from such abuse, including, but not limited to, the following orders:

(a) ordering the defendant to refrain from abusing the plaintiff, whether the defendant is an adult or minor;

(b) ordering the defendant to refrain from contacting the plaintiff, unless authorized by the court, whether the defendant is an adult or minor;

(c) ordering the defendant to vacate forthwith and remain away from the household, multiple family dwelling, and workplace. Notwithstanding the provisions of section thirty-four B of chapter two hundred and eight, an order to vacate shall be for a fixed period of time, not to exceed one year, at the expiration of which time the court may extend any such order upon motion of the plaintiff, with notice to the defendant, for such additional time as it deems necessary to protect the plaintiff from abuse;

(d) awarding the plaintiff temporary custody of a minor child; provided, however, that in any case brought in the probate and family court a finding by such court by a preponderance of the evidence that a pattern or serious incident of abuse, as defined in section 31A of chapter 208, toward a parent or child has occurred shall create a rebuttable presumption that it is not in the best interests of the child to be placed in sole custody, shared legal custody or shared physical custody with the abusive parent. Such presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence that such custody award is in the best interests of the child. For the purposes of this section, an "abusive parent" shall mean a parent who has committed a pattern of abuse or a serious incident of abuse;

For the purposes of this section, the issuance of an order or orders under chapter 209A shall not in and of itself constitute a pattern or serious incident of abuse; nor shall an order or orders entered ex parte under said chapter 209A be admissible to show whether a pattern or serious incident of abuse has in fact occurred; provided, however, that an order or orders entered ex parte under said chapter 209A may be admissible for other purposes as the court may determine, other than showing whether a pattern or serious incident of abuse has in fact occurred; provided further, that the underlying facts upon which an order or orders under said chapter 209A was based may also form the basis for a finding by the probate and family court that a pattern or serious incident of abuse has occurred.

If the court finds that a pattern or serious incident of abuse has occurred and issues a temporary or permanent custody order, the court shall within 90 days enter written findings of fact as to the effects of the abuse on the child, which findings demonstrate that such order is in the furtherance of the child’s best interests and provides for the safety and well-being of the child.

If ordering visitation to the abusive parent, the court shall provide for the safety and well-being of the child and the safety of the abused parent. The court may consider:

(a) ordering an exchange of the child to occur in a protected setting or in the presence of an appropriate third party;

(b) ordering visitation supervised by an appropriate third party, visitation center or agency;

(c) ordering the abusive parent to attend and complete, to the satisfaction of the court, a certified batterer’s treatment program as a condition of visitation;

(d) ordering the abusive parent to abstain from possession or consumption of alcohol or controlled substances during the visitation and for 24 hours preceding visitation;

(e) ordering the abusive parent to pay the costs of supervised visitation;

(f) prohibiting overnight visitation;

(g) requiring a bond from the abusive parent for the return and safety of the child;

(h) ordering an investigation or appointment of a guardian ad litem or attorney for the child; and

(i) imposing any other condition that is deemed necessary to provide for the safety and well-being of the child and the safety of the abused parent.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the right of the parties to a hearing under the rules of domestic relations procedure or to affect the discretion of the probate and family court in the conduct of such hearing.

(e) ordering the defendant to pay temporary support for the plaintiff or any child in the plaintiff’s custody or both, when the defendant has a legal obligation to support such a person. In determining the amount to be paid, the court shall apply the standards established in the child support guidelines. Each judgment or order of support which is issued, reviewed or modified pursuant to this chapter shall conform to and shall be enforced in accordance with the provisions of section 12 of chapter 119A;

(f) ordering the defendant to pay the person abused monetary compensation for the losses suffered as a direct result of such abuse. Compensatory losses shall include, but not be limited to, loss of earnings or support, costs for restoring utilities, out-of-pocket losses for injuries sustained, replacement costs for locks or personal property removed or destroyed, medical and moving expenses and reasonable attorney’s fees;

(g) ordering information in the case record to be impounded in accordance with court rule;

(h) ordering the defendant to refrain from abusing or contacting the plaintiff’s child, or child in plaintiff’s care or custody, unless authorized by the court;

(i) the judge may recommend to the defendant that the defendant attend a batterer’s intervention program that is certified by the department of public health.

No filing fee shall be charged for the filing of the complaint. Neither the plaintiff nor the plaintiff’s attorney shall be charged for certified copies of any orders entered by the court, or any copies of the file reasonably required for future court action or as a result of the loss or destruction of plaintiff’s copies.

Any relief granted by the court shall be for a fixed period of time not to exceed one year. Every order shall on its face state the time and date the order is to expire and shall include the date and time that the matter will again be heard. If the plaintiff appears at the court at the date and time the order is to expire, the court shall determine whether or not to extend the order for any additional time reasonably necessary to protect the plaintiff or to enter a permanent order. When the expiration date stated on the order is on a weekend day or holiday, or a date when the court is closed to business, the order shall not expire until the next date that the court is open to business. The plaintiff may appear on such next court business day at the time designated by the order to request that the order be extended. The court may also extend the order upon motion of the plaintiff, for such additional time as it deems necessary to protect from abuse the plaintiff or any child in the plaintiff’s care or custody. The fact that abuse has not occurred during the pendency of an order shall not, in itself, constitute sufficient ground for denying or failing to extend the order, of allowing an order to expire or be vacated, or for refusing to issue a new order.

The court may modify its order at any subsequent time upon motion by either party. When the plaintiff’s address is inaccessible to the defendant as provided in section 8 of this chapter and the defendant has filed a motion to modify the court’s order, the court shall be responsible for notifying the plaintiff. In no event shall the court disclose any such inaccessible address.

No order under this chapter shall in any manner affect title to real property.

No court shall compel parties to mediate any aspect of their case. Although the court may refer the case to the family service office of the probation department or victim/witness advocates for information gathering purposes, the court shall not compel the parties to meet together in such information gathering sessions.

A court shall not deny any complaint filed under this chapter solely because it was not filed within a particular time period after the last alleged incident of abuse.

A court may issue a mutual restraining order or mutual no-contact order pursuant to any abuse prevention action only if the court has made specific written findings of fact. The court shall then provide a detailed order, sufficiently specific to apprise any law officer as to which party has violated the order, if the parties are in or appear to be in violation of the order.

Any action commenced under the provisions of this chapter shall not preclude any other civil or criminal remedies. A party filing a complaint under this chapter shall be required to disclose any prior or pending actions involving the parties for divorce, annulment, paternity, custody or support, guardianship, separate support or legal separation, or abuse prevention.

If there is a prior or pending custody support order from the probate and family court department of the trial court, an order issued in the superior, district or Boston municipal court departments of the trial court pursuant to this chapter may include any relief available pursuant to this chapter except orders for custody or support.

If the parties to a proceeding under this chapter are parties in a subsequent proceeding in the probate and family court department for divorce, annulment, paternity, custody or support, guardianship or separate support, any custody or support order or judgment issued in the subsequent proceeding shall supersede any prior custody or support order under this chapter.


PART II. REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

TITLE III. DOMESTIC RELATIONS

CHAPTER 209A. ABUSE PREVENTION

Chapter 209A: Section 4. Temporary orders; notice; hearing

Section 4. Upon the filing of a complaint under this chapter, the court may enter such temporary orders as it deems necessary to protect a plaintiff from abuse, including relief as provided in section three. Such relief shall not be contingent upon the filing of a complaint for divorce, separate support, or paternity action.

If the plaintiff demonstrates a substantial likelihood of immediate danger of abuse, the court may enter such temporary relief orders without notice as it deems necessary to protect the plaintiff from abuse and shall immediately thereafter notify the defendant that the temporary orders have been issued. The court shall give the defendant an opportunity to be heard on the question of continuing the temporary order and of granting other relief as requested by the plaintiff no later than ten court business days after such orders are entered.

Notice shall be made by the appropriate law enforcement agency as provided in section seven.

If the defendant does not appear at such subsequent hearing, the temporary orders shall continue in effect without further order of the court.


PART II. REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

TITLE III. DOMESTIC RELATIONS

CHAPTER 209A. ABUSE PREVENTION

Chapter 209A: Section 1. Definitions

Section 1. As used in this chapter the following words shall have the following meanings:

"Abuse", the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members:

(a) attempting to cause or causing physical harm;

(b) placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm;

(c) causing another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat or duress.

"Court", the superior, probate and family, district or Boston municipal court departments of the trial court, except when the petitioner is in a dating relationship when "Court" shall mean district, probate, or Boston municipal courts.

"Family or household members", persons who:

(a) are or were married to one another;

(b) are or were residing together in the same household;

(c) are or were related by blood or marriage;

(d) having a child in common regardless of whether they have ever married or lived together; or

(e) are or have been in a substantive dating or engagement relationship, which shall be adjudged by district, probate or Boston municipal courts consideration of the following factors:

(1) the length of time of the relationship; (2) the type of relationship; (3) the frequency of interaction between the parties; and (4) if the relationship has been terminated by either person, the length of time elapsed since the termination of the relationship.

"Law officer", any officer authorized to serve criminal process.

"Protection order issued by another jurisdiction", any injunction or other order issued by a court of another state, territory or possession of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, or tribal court that is issued for the purpose of preventing violent or threatening acts or harassment against, or contact or communication with or physical proximity to another person, including temporary and final orders issued by civil and criminal courts filed by or on behalf of a person seeking protection.

"Vacate order", court order to leave and remain away from a premises and surrendering forthwith any keys to said premises to the plaintiff. The defendant shall not damage any of the plaintiff’s belongings or those of any other occupant and shall not shut off or cause to be shut off any utilities or mail delivery to the plaintiff. In the case where the premises designated in the vacate order is a residence, so long as the plaintiff is living at said residence, the defendant shall not interfere in any way with the plaintiff’s right to possess such residence, except by order or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to appropriate civil eviction proceedings, a petition to partition real estate, or a proceeding to divide marital property. A vacate order may include in its scope a household, a multiple family dwelling and the plaintiff’s workplace. When issuing an order to vacate the plaintiff’s workplace, the presiding justice must consider whether the plaintiff and defendant work in the same location or for the same employer.

 

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