{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-114-10a","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 114, § 10A","heading":"Municipality ownership of unclaimed graves; reuse of occupied graves","body":"Section 10A. No municipality shall take over the ownership of an unoccupied grave unless a minimum of seventy-five years has elapsed after issuance of a license for the grave by the municipality or its predecessor in interest; and the municipality cannot locate the license holder or the holder's successor in interest after making a diligent search. If ownership of the license is ascertained after such a taking occurs, then the municipality shall pay the fair value of the license at the time of its taking to the owner.\nNo municipality shall reuse an occupied grave except: upon the request and with the consent of a relative or descendant of the decedent occupying the grave, providing that no other descendant objects; to provide for the burial of a relative or descendant of the decedent occupying the grave; and if the remains of the decedent occupying the grave will remain in the grave. The municipality shall determine, by by-law or ordinance, the method to be used in reusing such occupied graves and may reasonably limit the circumstances under which such reuse can occur.","path":["Part I","Title XVI","Chapter 114"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter114/Section10A","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:22:54Z","sha256":"f528f01f9828b6b6af3b41fd9a037339810e01747c68718902fcdc651e1e1176","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-114-10","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-114-11"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}