Massachusetts Law About Open Meetings
Massachusetts Laws
- MGL c.30A, s.18-25. Mass. Open Meeting Law, Effective July 1, 2010
Massachusetts Regulations
940 CMR 29 Open Meeting Law Regulations
Forms
Open Meeting Law Complaint Form, Mass. Attorney General
Selected Case Law
District Attorney for the Northern District v. Wayland School Committee, 455 Mass. 561 (2009). "Prior to conducting an open meeting, the school committee commenced a private e-mail exchange in order to deliberate the superintendent's professional competence. This violated the letter and spirit of the open meeting law. Governmental bodies may not circumvent the requirements of the open meeting law by conducting deliberations via private messages, whether electronically, in person, over the telephone, or in any other form."
District Attorney for the Plymouth District v. Board of Selectmen of Middleborough, 395 Mass. 629 (1985) The Board could not hold executive sessions for purposes other than those enumerated in MGL chapter 39, sec. 29B.
Other Web Sources
Attorney General's Open Meeting Law Guide, 2012, Mass. Attorney General. Detailed coverage of every aspect of the open meeting law, "written for the ease of every-day users for whom the provisions of the OML are important." 
Guidelines on the Public's Right of Access to Judicial Proceedings and Records, Mass. Supreme Judicial Court. Developed "to assist you in identifying relevant court rules, statutes and case law covering a variety of issues which relate to judicial proceedings."
The Open Meeting Law, Mass. Attorney General. The starting place for the large collection of resources from the attorney general, including the law, regulations, documents, complaint form and more.
Open Meeting Law Determinations, Mass. Attorney General, August 2010-date. " The determination letters are intended to be a resource and provide helpful guidance on the requirements of the Open Meeting Law."
Print Sources
Massachusetts Practice, vol. 18 (Municipal Law) West Group, 2006 with supplement, chapter 8; vol. 39 (Administrative Law and Practice) West Group, 1986 with supplement, chapters 16 and 18.
"Validity, Construction and Application of Statutes Making Public Proceedings Open to the Public," 38 ALR3d 1070.