Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 240 - Proceedings for Settlement of Title to Land
Section 10 - Proceeding in Rem; Effect of Judgment

Section 10. After all the defendants have been served with process or notified as provided in section seven and after the appointment of a guardian ad litem or next friend, if such appointment has been made, the court may proceed as though all defendants had been actually served with process. Such action shall be a proceeding in rem against the land, and a judgment establishing or declaring the validity, nature or extent of the plaintiff's title may be entered, and shall operate directly on the land and have the force of a release made by or on behalf of all defendants of all claims inconsistent with the title established or declared thereby. This and the four preceding sections shall not prevent the court from also exercising jurisdiction in personam against defendants actually served with process who are personally amenable to its judgments.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases

Title III - Remedies Relating to Real Property

Chapter 240 - Proceedings for Settlement of Title to Land

Section 1 - Petition to Compel Adverse Claimant to Try Title

Section 2 - Proceedings Upon Petition

Section 3 - Proceedings Upon Appearance

Section 4 - Parties Without Actual Notice; Remedies

Section 5 - Application of Preceding Sections

Section 6 - Actions in Supreme Judicial, Superior or Land Courts

Section 7 - Notice

Section 8 - Guardian Ad Litem

Section 9 - Guardians Ad Litem; Compensation and Expenses

Section 10 - Proceeding in Rem; Effect of Judgment

Section 10a - Restrictions on Land; Determination; Jurisdiction; Petition

Section 10b - Notice of Proceedings; Parties

Section 10c - Determination of Restrictions; Manner

Section 11 - Petition in Land Court to Determine Encumbrances

Section 12 - Unknown, etc., Respondents; Describing; Amending Petition

Section 13 - Respondents Upon Whom Service Cannot Be Made; Notice; Appointing Agents

Section 14 - Jurisdiction; Hearings; Decrees; Costs

Section 14a - Municipal Zoning Ordinances, etc.; Petition for Judicial Determination of Validity

Section 15 - Petition in Land Court; Notice

Section 16 - Jurisdiction of Land Court; Determining Enforceability of Restrictions

Section 17 - Restrictions Injurious to Public Interests; Registration of Land; Damages

Section 18 - Appeal

Section 19 - Petition to Land Court

Section 20 - Proceedings

Section 21 - Report and Plan of Commissioners; Effect

Section 22 - Costs

Section 23 - Determination of Boundaries by Court

Section 24 - Parties; Subsequent Purchasers As

Section 25 - Boundaries Determined Concurrently With Registration

Section 26 - Rights of Commonwealth

Section 27 - Fiduciaries, etc.; Establishing Power or Authority

Section 28 - Determination by Court

Section 29 - Procedure Under This Chapter