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
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 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 19 - Petition to Land Court
Section 21 - Report and Plan of Commissioners; Effect
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