Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 20C (2026)

Nature of proceedings under Secs. 20A and 20A1/2; fines

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 20C. Proceedings under sections twenty A or twenty A1/2 of this chapter shall not be deemed criminal. Whenever there are outstanding against the registered owner of a motor vehicle more than five unpaid parking violations issued by a city or town, said owner or city or town may apply to the clerk of the division of the district or municipal court having jurisdiction to have the matter of these alleged violations treated criminally, and the district or municipal court shall take jurisdiction of the matter. The matter shall thereafter be deemed criminal and the procedures established for criminal cases be followed, provided, however, that the provisions of the second and third paragraphs of section thirty-five A of chapter two hundred and eighteen shall not apply to such cases. Any such fine imposed by the court shall not exceed double the maximum fine provided for in any city or town. Said fine imposed by the court shall be paid back to the said cities or towns where the violation occurred.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases, 1968–2019 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Germano, 397 N.E.2d 663 (Mass. 1979).

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Commonwealth v. Germano, 397 N.E.2d 663 (Mass. 1979). · cites it 2× “786, §§ 1-5) and G. L. c. 90, § 20C (as amended through St.”

Bos. Globe Media Partners, LLC v. Chief Just. of the Trial Court, 130 N.E.3d 742 (Mass. 2019). “218, § 35, do not apply to complaint applications made pursuant to G. L. c. 90, § 20C, which concerns motor vehicle offenses.”

Bane v. City of Boston, 396 N.E.2d 155 (Mass. App. Ct. 1979). · cites it 2× “However, the record affords us no clue concerning the time period between the first and last of the five or more tickets which gave rise to the towing of Bane’s car; it gives us no information concerning whether Bane requested a hearing pursuant to G. L. c. 90, § 20C, on any of…”

Commonwealth v. Minicost Car Rental, Inc., 242 N.E.2d 411 (Mass. 1968). “Also it is provided in G. L. c. 90, § 20C (as amended through St.”

LeMaine v. City of Boston, 540 N.E.2d 1338 (Mass. App. Ct. 1989). “G. L. c. 90, § 20C. Indeed, hearings on parking tickets “shall be informal, the rules of evidence shall not apply .”

Bricker v. Craven, 391 F. Supp. 601 (D. Mass. 1975). “G.L. c. 90, § 20C, and c. 263 of the Acts of 1929 as amended by c.”

Commonwealth v. Hesser, 307 N.E.2d 10 (Mass. App. Ct. 1974). “182]; G. L. c. 90, § 20C [as most recently amended by St.”

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