Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, § 20B (2026)

Liability for unlawful acts of officers, members or agents of an organization

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 20B. No officer or member of any association or organization, and no association or organization, participating or interested in a labor dispute, as defined in section twenty C, shall be held responsible or liable in any court for the unlawful acts of individual officers, members or agents, except upon clear proof of actual participation in, or actual authorization of, such acts, or of ratification of such acts after actual knowledge thereof.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 6 cases, 1985–2011 · leading case: Tosti v. Ayik, 476 N.E.2d 928 (Mass. 1985).

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Tosti v. Ayik, 476 N.E.2d 928 (Mass. 1985). · cites it 3× “” They contend that G. L. c. 149, § 20B, which is modeled after § 6 of the Norris-LaGuardia Act, 29 U.”

Colucci v. Rosen, Goldberg, Slavet, Levenson, 515 N.E.2d 891 (Mass. App. Ct. 1987). “This statute requires the Chief Justice of the Superior Court to designate three judges of that court to hear and determine proceedings involving or arising under G.L.c. 149, §§ 20B, 20C, or 24, or under G.”

Colucci v. Rosen, Goldberg, Slavet, Levenson & Wekstein, P.C., 25 Mass. App. Ct. 107 (Mass. App. Ct. 1987). “This statute requires the Chief Justice of the Superior Court to designate three judges of that court to hear and determine proceedings involving or arising under G. L. c. 149, §§ 20B, 20C, or 24, or under G.”

Verizon New England, Inc. v. Sys. Council T-6, 29 Mass. L. Rptr. 56 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2011). · cites it 2× “4 Although §6 does not specify any standard of proof governing injunction proceedings, a heightened standard does appear in G.L.c. 149, §20B, which governs liability of individual members and officers, as well as their organizations, for “unlawful acts of individual officers,…”

Coles Express, Inc. v. Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 526, 4 Mass. L. Rptr. 527 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1995). · cites it 3× “” G.L.c. 149, §20B. The “clear proof’ standard requires a level of proof in between the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt and the preponderance of the evidence norm in civil trials.”

MacKenzie v. New Penn Motor Express, Inc., 5 Mass. L. Rptr. 723 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1996). · cites it 2× “” G.L.c. 149, §20B. The “clear proof’ standard requires a level of proof in between the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt and the preponderance of the evidence norm in civil trials.”

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