{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-175-59","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 175, § 59","heading":"Domestic stock companies; president and secretary; duties; records; inspection","body":"Section 59. The president, or in his absence the vice president, if any, shall preside at all meetings of the directors or stockholders. In the absence of both said officers a temporary president may be chosen. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, a company may by its by-laws provide that the chairman of the board of directors, or in his absence the president, or in the absence of both of said officers a vice president, if any, shall preside at all meetings of the directors or stockholders, and that in the absence of all of said officers a temporary presiding officer may be chosen.\nThe secretary shall keep the records which the company is required to keep by sections thirty-two and forty-eight of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B, a record of all policies issued and of all authorized assignments, transfers and cancellations thereof and such other books and records as the president and directors may require. A secretary who wilfully makes a false record shall be deemed guilty of perjury.\nThe records so kept shall be open to the inspection of any interested person, but it shall be a defense in any proceeding for neglect or refusal to exhibit for inspection such records or copies, that the actual purpose and reason for the inspection sought are to secure a list of stockholders or other information for the purpose of selling said list or information or copies thereof or of using the same for a purpose other than in the interest of the applicant, as a stockholder or policyholder, relative to the affairs of the corporation.","path":["Part I","Title XXII","Chapter 175"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXII/Chapter175/Section59","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:24:05Z","sha256":"de5e3508b7a448d37de07623de5b9fc212e9f6e54cd2506da29be927fa5af85a","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-175-58","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-175-60"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}