MA S1205

Creates new Chapter 209E in Massachusetts General Laws to prevent "controlling and abusive litigation" — legal actions filed primarily to harass, intimidate, threaten, or maintain contact with a current or former family or household member against whom the filer has a prior abuse or harassment finding

Allows victims to request court orders restricting abusive litigation through motions, answers, or oral requests during hearings, with no filing fee charged to the protected party

Establishes rebuttable presumption of abusive litigation when same issues were litigated in past 5 years, prior cases were dismissed with prejudice, or the filer was previously sanctioned for similar conduct within 10 years

Courts finding controlling and abusive litigation must dismiss pending actions with prejudice, impose all costs on the abuser (including court costs, lost wages, transportation, childcare, and attorney's fees), and impose prefiling restrictions for 48-72 months

Restricted parties must obtain judicial permission before filing any new litigation against the protected party during the restriction period; violations result in automatic dismissal and potential sanctions