Section 173A Violation of dog control laws; non-criminal disposition - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 173A. Whenever a complaint is sought in a district court for a violation of an ordinance or by-law, made under the provisions of section one hundred and seventy-three, the clerk shall send a written notice to the person complained against stating that such a complaint has been sought and will issue unless such person appears before such clerk and confesses the offense either personally or through an agent duly authorized in writing, or by mailing to such clerk, with the notice the fine provided herein. If it is the first offense subject to this section committed by such person within a calendar year, the clerk shall dismiss the charge without the payment of any fine; if it is the second offense so committed in such city or town in the calendar year the payment to the clerk of a fine of twenty-five dollars shall operate as a final disposition of the case; if it is the third offense so committed in such city or town in a calendar year payment of a fine of thirty dollars shall operate as a final disposition of the case; and if it is the fourth or subsequent offense so committed in such city or town in the calendar year the payment of a fine of fifty dollars shall operate as a final disposition of the case. Such payment shall be made only by postal note, money order or check. Notwithstanding the foregoing procedure and schedules of fines and subject, however, to all of the other provisions of this section, a city or town may, by ordinance or by-law, provide for an alternative procedure and a different schedule of fines; provided, however, that no new schedule of fines shall contain a fine in excess of fifty dollars.

Proceedings under this section shall not be deemed criminal; and no person notified to appear before the clerk of a district court as provided herein shall be required to report to any probation officer, and no record of the case shall be entered in the probation records.

If a person notified to appear, as hereinbefore provided, fails to appear or pay the fine within twenty-one days of the sending of the notice, or having appeared, does not desire to avail himself of the procedure established by this section, the clerk shall issue the complaint and the procedure established for criminal cases shall be followed.

If any person fails to appear in accordance with the summons issued upon such complaint, the clerk of the court shall send such person, by registered mail, return receipt requested, a notice that the complaint is pending and that, if the person fails to appear within twenty-one days from the sending of such notice, a warrant for his arrest will be issued.