Bill > H1850

This bill proposes two key changes to Massachusetts law regarding legal proceedings and arbitration. First, the bill would expand who can serve legal summons and complaints, allowing any person who is at least 18 years old and not directly involved in a case to serve legal documents in civil actions across District Court, Boston Municipal Court, and Superior Court. Currently, there may be more restrictive rules about who can deliver court documents. Second, the bill modifies statutes of limitations by adding language that allows for the tolling (pausing) of limitation periods when a case is dismissed due to an arbitration agreement. This means that if a lawsuit is initially dismissed because of an existing arbitration clause, the plaintiff would not lose the opportunity to refile the case within the original statutory time frame. These changes aim to provide more flexibility in legal procedures and ensure that technical arbitration-related dismissals do not prevent individuals from pursuing valid legal claims.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1850