How Does the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Work?

The Massachusetts Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters involving minors and youthful offenders, care and protection, and delinquency cases across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Juvenile Court protects children from neglect and abuse, strengthens families, rehabilitates juveniles, and protects the public from criminal and delinquent behavior. The court also has general jurisdiction over the following case types:

• Delinquency
• Care and protection
• Children requiring assistance (CRA): where parents, guardians, or school officials request that the court help supervise a child
• Adult contribution to juvenile delinquency 
• Guardianship
• Adoption
• Youthful offender
• Termination of parental rights proceedings

There are 11 juvenile court divisions with sessions in more than 40 locations. The names and territorial jurisdictions are listed in G. L. c. 218, §.57. The Juvenile Court has 41 judges, including a Chief Justice. The court judges are appointed by the Governor with approval from the judicial nominating commission and the Governor’s Council. 

Massachusetts judges do not have fixed terms and may remain in office until the compulsory retirement age of 70. The Juvenile Court judges must be under the age of 70 and must be citizens and residents of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. All judges must also be members of the state bar in good standing and must have considerable legal experience and training.

Massachusetts judges may be removed through any of these three ways:

• With approval from the Governor’s Council after a joint address of both houses of the general court. The Governor may also retire judges of advanced age or physical or mental incapacity. This also requires consent from the Governor’s Council

• Following a formal hearing, where the commission investigates complaints of judicial misconduct, the commission may recommend the removal, retirement, or reprimand of a judge to the supreme judicial court 

• Impeachment by the house of representatives and conviction by the senate

Massachusetts Juvenile Court records are not open to the general public. They can only be accessed by authorized persons, including the subject of the record, direct relatives, and any other person authorized by a court order. These persons may access the records at the courthouses where the case was filed.

The addresses and contact information of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court are listed below:

Attleboro Juvenile Court  

88 North Main Street, Attleboro, MA 02703 

The Bristol County Juvenile Court, located in Attleboro, serves Attleboro, North Attleboro, Mansfield, and Norton.

Telephone: (508) 222–5350

Barnstable Juvenile Court  

3195 Main Street, P. O. Box 427, Barnstable, MA 02630 

The Barnstable County, the town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court in Barnstable, serves Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth.

Telephone: (508) 362–1389

Belchertown Juvenile Court  

205 State Street, Belchertown, MA 01007 

The Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court in Belchertown serves Belchertown, Ware, and Granby.

Telephone: (413) 323–4056

Boston Juvenile Court  

24 New Chardon Street, P. O. Box 9663, Boston, MA 02114 

The Suffolk County Juvenile Court located in Boston serves Brighton, Roxbury, Charlestown, and South Boston for criminal cases, delinquency, and harassment. Child requiring assistance (CRA), care and protection, and jury trials for all sessions in Suffolk County are held here.

Phone number: (617) 788–8525

Brockton Juvenile Court  

215 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301 

The Plymouth County Juvenile Court in Brockton serves Abington, Brockton, Bridgewater, E. Bridgewater, W. Bridgewater, and Whitman.

Phone: (508) 897–4900

Cambridge Juvenile Court  

121 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02141 

The Middlesex County Juvenile Court in Cambridge serves Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Somerville, and Wakefield.

Phone: (617) 494–4100

Chelsea Juvenile Court  

120 Broadway, Chelsea, MA 02150 

The Suffolk County Juvenile Court located in Chelsea serves Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, and Winthrop for criminal cases, delinquency, and harassment. Child requiring assistance (CRA), care and protection, and jury trials for all sessions are heard in the Boston session. Mental Illness and substance abuse cases are heard at all sites within the Suffolk County Juvenile Court.

Phone: (617) 660–9225

Dedham Juvenile Court  

55 Allied Drive, Dedham, MA 02026 

The Norfolk County Juvenile Court in Dedham serves Avon, Canton, Dover, Dedham, Foxborough, Franklin, Medway, Medfield, Millis, Needham, Norwood, Norfolk, Plainville, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Wellesley, Westwood, and Wrentham.

Phone: (781) 329–1500

Dorchester Juvenile Court  

510 Washington Street, Dorchester, MA 02124 

This court is formally known as the Suffolk County Juvenile Court - Dorchester. Criminal cases, delinquency, and harassment for the area covered by the Boston Police’s Dorchester Division. Child requiring assistance (CRA), care and protection, and jury trials for all sessions are heard in the Boston session. Mental Illness and substance abuse cases are heard in all sites within the Suffolk County Juvenile Court.

Phone: (617) 288–9500 x400

Dudley Juvenile Court  

100 West Main Street, Dudley, MA 01571 

The Worcester County Juvenile Court in Dudley serves Charlton, Dudley, Oxford, Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Webster.

Phone: (508) 949–3070

Edgartown Juvenile Court  

12 Mariner’s Way, Unit 4, P. O. Box 550, Edgartown, MA 02539 

The Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court in Edgartown serves Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, Oaks Bluff, Tisbury, West Tisbury

Phone: (508) 627–8983

Fall River Juvenile Court  

289 Rock Street, 4th Floor, Fall River, MA 02720 

The Bristol County Juvenile Court in Fall River serves Fall River, Freetown, Swansea, Somerset, and Westport.

Phone: (508) 676–0090

Falmouth Juvenile Court  

161 Jones Road, Falmouth, MA 02540 

The Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court in Falmouth serves Bourne, Falmouth, and Mashpee.

Phone: (508) 495–1696

Fitchburg Juvenile Court  

120 Elm Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420 

The Worcester County Juvenile Court in Fitchburg serves Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Gardner, Hubbardston, Lunenburg, Phillipston, Petersham, Royalston, Templeton, Westminster, and Winchendon.

Phone: (978) 345–7620

Framingham Juvenile Court  

110 Mount Wayte Avenue, Framingham, MA 01702 

The Middlesex County Juvenile Court in Framingham serves Acton, Ashland, Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Framingham, Hopkinton, Holliston, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Marlborough, Maynard, Natick, Sherborn, Stow, Sudbury, and Wayland.

Phone: (508) 879–3561

Great Barrington Juvenile Court  

9 Gilmore Avenue, Great Barrington, MA 01230 

The Berkshire County Juvenile Court in Great Barrington serves Alford, Becket, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Mt. Washington, Monterey, New Marlborough, Otis, Sandisfield, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Tyringham, and West Stockbridge. Pittsfield Juvenile Court exercises concurrent jurisdiction in Becket and Lenox.

Phone: (413) 528–3520

Greenfield Juvenile Court  

43 Hope Street, Greenfield, MA 01302 

The Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court in Greenfield serves Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Gill, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Montague, Monroe, Northfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Sunderland, and Whately.

 Hampshire County Juvenile Court jury cases are held at the Northampton District Court. Jury cases in Franklin County (Including Athol, which is in Worcester County) are held at the Greenfield Juvenile Court.

Phone: (413) 775–0014

Hadley Juvenile Court  

116 Russell Street, Route 9, Hadley, MA 01035 

This court serves Amherst, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Northampton, Pelham, Plainfield, Southampton, South Hadley, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington.

Phone: (413) 584–7686

Hingham Juvenile Court  

28 George Washington Blvd., Hingham, MA 02043 

The Plymouth County Juvenile Court in Hingham serves Hanover, Hingham, Hull, Norwell, Rockland, and Scituate.

Phone: (781) 741–6007

Holyoke Juvenile Court  

121 Elm Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 

The Hampden County Juvenile Court in Holyoke serves Blandford, Chester, Granville, Holyoke, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, and Westfield.

Phone: (413) 322–6700

Lawrence Juvenile Court  

Fenton Judicial Center, 2 Appleton Street, Lawrence, MA 01840 

The Essex County Juvenile Court in Lawrence serves Andover, Bradford, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, and North Andover.

Phone: (978) 725–4900 x2

Lowell Juvenile Court  

370 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852 

The Middlesex County Juvenile Court in Lowell serves Ashby, Ayer, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Groton, Littleton, Lowell, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Stoneham, Shirley, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Westford, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn.

 Care and Protection cases are heard in Cambridge. Delinquency, Youthful Offender, Adult Criminal, Harassment, and Child Requiring Assistance cases are heard in Lowell.

Phone: (978) 441–2630

Lynn Juvenile Court  

139 Central Avenue, Lynn, MA 01901 

The Essex County Juvenile Court in Lynn serves Lynn, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott.

Phone: (781) 586–0415 x4

Milford Juvenile Court  

161 West Street, Milford, MA 01757 

The Worcester County Juvenile Court in Milford serves Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Hopedale, Mendon, Millville, Milford, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge.

Phone: (508) 478–8638

Nantucket Juvenile Court  

16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554 

The Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court in Nantucket serves all towns in Nantucket County.

New Bedford Juvenile Court  

75 N. Sixth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 

The Bristol County Juvenile Court in New Bedford serves Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, New Bedford, and Westport.

Phone: (508) 999–9700

Newburyport Juvenile Court  

188 State Street, Route 1, Traffic Circle, Newburyport, MA 01950 

The Essex County Juvenile Court in Newburyport serves Amesbury, Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, Topsfield, Wenham, and West Newbury.

Phone: (978) 462–0617 x5

North Adams Juvenile Court  

21 Holden Street, North Adams, MA 01247 

The Berkshire County Juvenile Court in North Adams serves Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, New Ashford, North Adams, Savoy, Williamstown, and Windsor (Pittsfield Division exercises concurrent jurisdiction in Windsor and Hancock).

Phone: (413) 664–8700

Orange Juvenile Court  

1 Court Square, Orange, MA 01364 

The Franklin-Hampshire Counties Juvenile Court in Orange serves Athol, Erving, Leverett, New Salem, Orange, Shutesbury, Warwick, and Wendell.

Hampshire County Juvenile Court jury cases are held at the Northampton District Court. Jury cases in Franklin County (including Athol, which is in Worcester County) are held at the Greenfield Juvenile Court.)

Phone: (978) 544–5125

Orleans Juvenile Court  

237 Rock Harbor Road, Orleans, MA 02653 

The Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court in Orleans serves Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet.

Phone: (508) 240–5044

Palmer Juvenile Court  

235 Sykes Street, Suite 3, Palmer, MA 01069 

The Hampden County Juvenile Court in Palmer serves Brimfield, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Holland, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Wales, and Wilbraham.

Phone: (413) 283–1057

Pittsfield Juvenile Court  

190 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 

The Berkshire County Juvenile Court in Pittsfield serves Becket, Dalton, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lenox, Peru, Pittsfield, Richmond, Washington, Windsor.

(This court exercises concurrent jurisdiction with Hancock and Windsor)

Phone: (413) 443–8533

Plymouth Juvenile Court  

52 Obery Street, Suite 1092, Plymouth, MA 02360 

The Barnstable County-Town of Plymouth Division of the Juvenile Court in Plymouth serves Duxbury, Hanson, Halifax, Kingston, Marshfield, Pembroke, Plymouth, and Plympton.

Phone: (508) 747–0858

Quincy Juvenile Court  

1 Dennis Ryan Parkway, Quincy, MA 02169 

The Norfolk County Juvenile Court located in Quincy serves Cohasset, Braintree, Holbrook, Milton, Randolph, Quincy, and Weymouth.

 Protection and care are filed in Dedham. Adult Criminal, Delinquency, and Youthful Offender are heard in Quincy, excluding Jury Trials which are heard in Dedham.

Phone: (617) 376–7505

Salem Juvenile Court  

56 Federal Street, Salem, MA 01970 

The Essex County Juvenile Court in Salem serves Beverly, Danvers, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Peabody, and Salem.

Phone: (978) 745–9660 x1

Springfield Juvenile Court  

80 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103 

The Hampden County Juvenile Court in Springfield serves Agawam, Chicopee, Longmeadow, Springfield, and West Springfield.

Phone: (413) 748–7860

Stoughton Juvenile Court  

1288 Central Street, Stoughton, MA 02072 

Cases within the Juvenile Court’s jurisdiction are heard at the Norfolk County Juvenile Court in Stoughton when scheduled by the court.

Taunton Juvenile Court  

40 Broadway, Suite 1521, Taunton, MA 02780 

The Bristol County Juvenile Court in Taunton serves Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Taunton.

Phone: (508) 977–4910

Waltham Juvenile Court  

38 Linden St., Waltham, MA 02452 

The Middlesex County Juvenile Court in Waltham serves Concord, Newton, Watertown, Waltham, and Weston.

Phone: (781) 899–7672

Wareham Juvenile Court  

2200 Cranberry Highway, West Wareham, MA 02576 

The Plymouth County Juvenile Court in Wareham serves Carver, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Rochester, and Wareham.

Phone: (508) 291–8407

West Roxbury Juvenile Court  

445 Arborway, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 

This court is formally called Suffolk County Juvenile Court-West Roxbury. Delinquency, criminal cases harassment, and the area covered by the Boston Police’s West Roxbury Division. All protections and care child requiring assistance and jury trials are heard in the Boston session. Substance abuse and mental illness cases are heard in all sites within the Suffolk County Juvenile Court.

Phone: (617) 971–1154

Worcester Juvenile Court  

225 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608 

The Worcester County Juvenile Court in Worcester serves Auburn, Barre, Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Brookfield, Clinton, East Brookfield, Grafton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Lancaster, Leicester, Millbury, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northborough, Oakham, Paxton, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Spencer, Sterling, Warren, Westborough, West Boylston, West Brookfield, and Worcester.

Phone: (508) 831–2000