Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 233, § 20G (2026)

Scope of immunity; copies of transcript of testimony compelled and documents furnished; availability to witness

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 20G. A witness who has been granted immunity as provided in section 20E shall not be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction matter, or thing concerning which he is so compelled, after having claimed his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence, nor shall testimony so compelled be used as evidence in any criminal or civil proceeding against him in any court of the commonwealth, except in a prosecution for perjury or contempt committed while giving testimony or producing evidence under compulsion, pursuant to section 20C or 20E.

A witness who has been granted immunity shall be given a certified copy of the transcript, if he so requests, of any testimony that he furnished in compliance with an order of the court to testify, and shall be given a copy of all documents he has furnished in compliance with such order.

A transcript of said testimony and copies of said documents shall be maintained by the supreme court, appeals court or superior court, and shall be available at the request of such witness in any subsequent proceeding involving the witness.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 14 cases, 1976–2020 · leading case: Attorney Gen. v. Colleton, 444 N.E.2d 915 (Mass. 1982).

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Attorney Gen. v. Colleton, 444 N.E.2d 915 (Mass. 1982). “176D, § 13; G. L. c. 233, § 20G. The language in these statutes indicates that where the Legislature intends to grant immunity it knows how to grant transactional immunity.”

Commonwealth v. Donahue, 344 N.E.2d 886 (Mass. 1976). “Subsequently, after a voir dire hearing on the issue, the trial judge ruled that under G. L. c. 233, § 20G, the witness had immunity for the transaction in this case.”

Commonwealth v. Gagliardi, 559 N.E.2d 1234 (Mass. App. Ct. 1990). “What was said in the Ciampa case concerning accomplice testimony pursuant to a plea agreement applies, although with somewhat diminished force, to testimony of an immunized witness — diminished, perhaps, because the truthfulness condition applicable to the immunized witness,…”

Vaccari, 955 N.E.2d 266 (Mass. 2011). · cites it 2× “Insofar as the single justice considered the merits of the witnesses’ claims, we also conclude that he correctly determined that the scope of immunity provided to the witnesses pursuant to G. L. c. 233, § 20G, adequately protects their constitutional rights against…”

In the Matter of a John Doe Grand Jury Investigation, 539 N.E.2d 56 (Mass. 1989). · cites it 3× “The Superior Court judge accepted the witness’s argument that immunity set forth in G. L. c. 233, § 20G, was not as broad as it should be in order to protect the witness’s State constitutional rights.”

Commonwealth v. Steinberg, 536 N.E.2d 606 (Mass. 1989). “He argues rather that, if his testimony here is inconsistent with his Florida testimony, he may be charged with perjury here, particularly, if, unlike his Florida testimony, his Massachusetts testimony does not support the Commonwealth’s view of the guilt of the person that the…”

Adoption of Astrid, 700 N.E.2d 275 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998). “We reject the mother’s suggestion that she is entitled to the greater protections of G. L. c. 233, § 20G, prohibiting use of immunized testimony even in civil proceedings.”

Commonwealth v. Turner, 473 N.E.2d 679 (Mass. 1985). “The defendant moved to strike the direct testimony of Wallace on the ground of alleged noncompliance with the State immunity statute, G. L. c. 233, § 20G, which requires that the immunized witness be given a copy of his immunized testimony.”

Commonwealth v. Shaheen, 445 N.E.2d 619 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “Such an agreement does not provide him with the full protection of judicially granted immunity under G. L. c. 233, § 20G, and does not call into play the provisions of § 201.”

Commonwealth v. Austin A., 881 N.E.2d 117 (Mass. 2008). “Once immunity is granted, however, achievement of the statutory purpose requires that immunity be enforced so that the witness is protected from prosecution in any court.”

Turner v. Fair, 476 F. Supp. 874 (D. Mass. 1979). “which may be propounded to them before such grand jury relating to the alleged attempted robbery of the Cumberland Farms store in Dedham, Massachusetts, on March 25, 1974, and the alleged murder of Walter Wilson,” and further provided that Wallace and Evans “be and they hereby…”

Commonwealth v. Raczkowski, 475 N.E.2d 417 (Mass. App. Ct. 1985). “233, § 20E, nor G. L. c. 233, § 20G, imposes any such limitation on the grant of immunity.”

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