Mass. Gen. Laws » Part IV Title II Chapter 277
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 56 (2026)

Expenses of counsel of prisoner

✓ text as last checked Sept. 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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Section 56. The reasonable expenses incurred and paid by counsel assigned by the court for the defense of a person indicted for murder, who is otherwise unable to procure counsel, shall be paid by the commonwealth after approval by a justice sitting at the trial or other proceedings of the case.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1967–1987 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Garcia, 399 N.E.2d 460 (Mass. 1980).
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Commonwealth v. Garcia, 399 N.E.2d 460 (Mass. 1980). · cites it 2× “See G.L.c. 277, § 56; Mass. R. Crim. P. 41, 378 Mass.”
Commonwealth v. Salim, 503 N.E.2d 1267 (Mass. 1987). “See G. L. c. 277, § 56 (1984 ed.). The Commonwealth correctly argues that this understanding pertained only to the source of the fee.”
Grady v. Treasurer of the Cnty. of Worcester, 227 N.E.2d 490 (Mass. 1967). “” (G. L. c. 277, § 56.) See G. L. c. 213, § 8: “The courts shall, respectively, receive, examine and allow accounts for services and expenses incident to their sittings in the several counties and order payment thereof out of the respective county treasuries.”
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