{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-190b-3-104","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, § 3-104","heading":"Claims against decedent; necessity of administration","body":"Section 3–104. [Claims Against Decedent; Necessity of Administration.]\nNo proceeding to enforce a claim against the estate of a decedent or a decedent's successors may be revived or commenced before the appointment of a personal representative. After the appointment and until distribution, all proceedings and actions to enforce a claim against the estate are governed by the procedure prescribed by this article. After distribution a creditor whose claim has not been barred may recover from the distributees as provided in section 3–1004 or from a former personal representative individually liable as provided in section 3–1005. This section has no application to a proceeding by a secured creditor of the decedent to enforce a right to the security except as to any deficiency judgment which might be sought therein.","path":["Part II","Title II","Chapter 190B"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section3-104","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:24:28Z","sha256":"579291e7ad22a6d9533e041198c51675a32975ce789c5994d9bad22fa7622f68","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-190b-3-103","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-190b-3-105"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}