{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209c-7","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209C, § 7","heading":"Representation in parentage actions; appointment of counsel; burden of proof","body":"Section 7. Actions under this chapter shall be civil actions. The IV–D agency, as set forth in chapter one hundred and nineteen A, may appear on behalf of a plaintiff in an action to establish parentage. In actions in which custody or visitation are contested, court may appoint counsel to represent either party whenever the interests of justice require.\nThe burden of proof in proceedings under this chapter to establish parentage shall be by clear and convincing evidence.","path":["Part II","Title III","Chapter 209C"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter209C/Section7","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:24:39Z","sha256":"e4c1488481f3e1d59b27d4f91bf26367eff245f9b2d11b376b965c49860f8eb0","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209c-6","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209c-8"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}