Department of Revenue v. LaFratta

We are asked to explicate the relationship among a statute now repealed (G. L. c. 273, § 12), the current statute dealing with paternity adjudications (G. L. c. 209C, § 22 [ti?]), and art. 30 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights. Specifically, at issue is whether the District Court properly dismissed the Department of Revenue’s (department’s) paternity and support action under G. L. c. 209C, because of an earlier “dismissal with prejudice” of a paternity claim against the defendant under the now repealed statute, G. L. c. 273. We hold that there was no error and accordingly affirm the…