Pursuant to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 231A the supreme judicial court, the superior court, the land court and the probate courts, within their respective jurisdictions, may on appropriate proceedings make binding declarations of right, duty, status and other legal relations sought thereby, either before or after a breach or violation thereof has occurred in any case in which an actual controversy has arisen.
The statute may be used to secure determinations of right, duty, status or other legal relations under deeds, wills or written contracts or other writings constituting a contract or contracts or under the common law, or a charter, statute, municipal ordinance or by-law, or administrative regulation, including determination of any question of construction or validity thereof which may be involved in such determination.
This statute provides a powerful legal tool often used in our civil litigation practice in business, municipal and real estate disputes. The scope of the Courts’ equity powers is broad in order to facilitate the fair administration of justice in the civil litigation arena.
