{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-207-48","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 207, § 48","heading":"Solemnization of marriage without authority; penalty","body":"Section 48. Whoever, not being duly authorized by the laws of the commonwealth, undertakes to join persons in marriage therein shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.","path":["Part II","Title III","Chapter 207"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter207/Section48","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:24:37Z","sha256":"384f9db9359f5b5b689ff3904a643ef95c4f94f936528ec004cb04ff643f0c29","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-207-47b","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-207-49"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}