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.
Phone: (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.
Phone: (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.
Phone: (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: (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