Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 279, § 8 (2026)

Commitments upon two or more sentences

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 8. A convict upon whom two or more sentences to imprisonment are imposed may be fully committed upon all such sentences at the same time, and shall serve them in the order named in the mittimuses upon which he is committed; but when fine and imprisonment are named in one of the sentences the prisoner shall always be committed upon the term sentence first.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1977–2025 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Lykus, 546 N.E.2d 159 (Mass. 1989).

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Commonwealth v. Lykus, 546 N.E.2d 159 (Mass. 1989). “G. L. c. 279, § 8 (1988 ed.). He may consider a wide range of factors in mitigation of the defendant’s guilt, including the defendant’s behavior, family life, and employment.”

Kinney, 363 N.E.2d 1337 (Mass. App. Ct. 1977). “There is no merit to the petitioner’s contention that the District Court judge, acting pursuant to G. L. c. 279, § 8, intended that the sentence to the Hampshire County house of correction should run concurrently with the Walpole sentence.”

Commonwealth v. Lucret, 792 N.E.2d 141 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003). “135, 145 (1989), citing G. L. c. 279, § 8, subject, of course, to considerations of due process and double jeopardy.”

Commonwealth v. Hall, 475 N.E.2d 757 (Mass. App. Ct. 1985). “, Walpole, of from five to twelve years on both indictments; that those sentences were ordered to take effect forthwith and notwithstanding a sentence which the defendant was then serving in a house of correction; and that a separate mittimus issued on each indictment (G. L. c.…”

Costa v. Comm'r of Corr., 775 N.E.2d 434 (Mass. App. Ct. 2002). “He was arrested and convicted for new crimes committed while on escape, and was sentenced to new periods of incarceration to be served concurrently with each other at a house of correction.”

Abrahams v. Comm'r of Corr., 786 N.E.2d 1249 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003). “, citing G. L. c. 279, § 8. “In fashioning a disposition after conviction, a judge .”

Commonwealth v. Dara Poum (Mass. 2025). “Among other things, the judge may consider whether to impose multiple sentences consecutively or concurrently, G. L. c. 279, § 8, and in some circumstances the decision to impose concurrent sentences may "effectively shorten[] the defendant's term of punishment," Lykus, 406 Mass.”

Sullivan v. Registrar of Motor Vehs., 6 Mass. L. Rptr. 93 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1996). “276, §82A (consecutive sentence for failure to appear after release on bail); G.L.c. 279, §8 (consecutive sentence for crimes committed while released on bail); G.”

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