MA S1154

Criminal courts must issue visitation bans for defendants charged with or convicted of assault, rape, or strangulation offenses when the victim is pregnant, becomes pregnant from the crime, shares a child with the defendant, or when a child is a victim or witness

Visitation bans apply during the entire pretrial period and continue post-conviction for up to 1 year or the length of the sentence, whichever is shorter

Adult victims or mothers of child victims may waive the visitation ban; children of suitable age or their guardian ad litem may also request whether the ban issues

Defendants seeking visitation after the ban terminates must complete a psychological evaluation, domestic violence education program, parenting program, and any other court-ordered treatment

Probate courts must stay all paternity complaints, genetic marker testing motions, and other parental rights motions filed by defendants until the visitation ban is lifted