Section 7. Every town clerk shall have the custody of all records of proprietors of towns, townships, plantations or common lands, if the towns, townships, plantations or common lands to which such records relate, or the larger part thereof, are within his town and the proprietors have ceased to be a body politic. The state secretary, clerks of the county commissioners and city or town clerks shall respectively have the custody of all other public records of the commonwealth or of their respective counties, cities or towns, if no other disposition of such records is made by law or ordinance, and shall certify copies thereof.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Section 1 - Supervision of Public Records; Powers and Duties
Section 3 - ''record'' Defined; Quality of Paper and Film; Microfilm Records
Section 4 - Regulation of Recording Materials and Devices; Mandamus
Section 5 - Municipal Records; Copies
Section 5a - Records of Meetings of Boards and Commissions; Contents
Section 6 - Records of Public Proceedings; Preparation; Custody
Section 6a - Records Access Officers; Designation; Powers and Duties
Section 7 - Custody of Old and Other Records
Section 8 - Preservation and Destruction of Records, Books and Papers
Section 8a - Destruction of Certain Records by City and Town Clerks if Micro-Photographed
Section 8b - Destruction or Disposal of Records in Accordance With Chapter 93i
Section 9 - Preservation and Copying of Worn, etc., Records
Section 11 - Fireproof Vaults and Safes
Section 12 - Arrangement of Records
Section 13 - Custodian to Demand Records; Compelling Compliance
Section 14 - Surrender of Records by Retiring Officer
Section 16 - Surrender of Church Records; Jurisdiction of Superior Court
Section 17 - Municipality in Which Records to Be Kept; Contracts for Records Storage; Penalty
Section 17a - Public Assistance Records; Public Inspection; Destruction
Section 17c - Failure to Maintain Public Records of Meetings; Orders to Maintain
Section 18 - Application of Chapter
Section 20 - Payroll, Financial and Other Data in Centralized State Accounting and Payroll Systems
Section 21 - Documents Related to Pensions of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Employees