HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 523        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3439

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Elizabeth A. Poirier

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to financial records of defendants in small claims court.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 523        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3439

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 928 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act relative to financial records of defendants in small claims court.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

An Act relative to financial records of defendants in small claims court.

Section 22 of chapter 218 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in a finding for a plaintiff of an amount due by a defendant, the procedure shall include a requirement for the defendant to provide, as applicable, to the court: the social security number of the defendant, the 4 most recent pay stubs of the defendant and the defendant’s spouse, the 3 most recent statements from each bank, credit union, credit card or other financial account of the defendant and the defendant’s spouse, the most recent tax return of the defendant and any other financial documentation that the court may request.