{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209c-12","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209C, § 12","heading":"Trial; exclusion of public","body":"Section 12. In actions under this chapter, the trial shall be by the court without a jury. In an action to establish parentage, the court shall, upon request of any party, exclude the general public from the room where the trial is held and may admit only persons directly interested in the case, including officers of the court and witnesses.","path":["Part II","Title III","Chapter 209C"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter209C/Section12","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:24:39Z","sha256":"edf318311dc83d1bbeb9cab02e2272062b425762eca130d710697fdea71b17ad","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209c-11","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209c-13"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}