{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-261-7","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 261, § 7","heading":"Unnecessary actions","body":"Section 7. A plaintiff who brings several actions in the same or in different courts against the same defendant upon causes of action which might have been joined in one action, or who brings separate actions against defendants who might have been joined, shall recover costs in one action only, unless the court, after a hearing, otherwise orders.","path":["Part III","Title VI","Chapter 261"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleVI/Chapter261/Section7","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:25:07Z","sha256":"e6da4b8e2f54a136ba11e50e9d7e57306f639da14eed84c9596add3a8a7a4351","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-261-6","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-261-8"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}