A Practice Note explaining the scope of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 231, Section 59H, known as the Massachusetts anti-strategic litigation against public participation (anti-SLAPP) statute. This Note discusses the anti-SLAPP statute as a defense in Massachusetts civil litigation, including the types of protected petitioning activities, when a claim is solely based on a party exercising its right to petition the government and subject to dismissal, which parties can make a special motion to dismiss, and exceptions to the anti-SLAPP statute.