Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 60A (2026)

Inspection of records in youthful offender and delinquency cases

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 60A. The records of a youthful offender proceeding conducted pursuant to an indictment shall be open to public inspection in the same manner and to the same extent as adult criminal court records. All other records of the court in cases of delinquency arising under sections fifty-two to fifty-nine, inclusive, shall be withheld from public inspection except with the consent of a justice of such court; provided, however, that such records shall be open, at all reasonable times, to inspection by the child proceeded against, his parents, guardian or attorney; provided further, that nothing herein shall be construed to provide access to privileged or confidential communications and information; and provided further, that said protections shall be construed to include information and communications entered at the indictment.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the name of a child shall be made available to the public by the probation officer without such consent if the child is: alleged to have committed an offense while between his fourteenth and eighteenth birthdays; and has previously been adjudicated delinquent on at least two occasions for acts which would have been punishable by imprisonment in the state prison if such child had been age 18 or older; and is charged with delinquency by reason of an act which would be punishable by imprisonment in the state prison if such child were age 18 or older.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 26 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1972–2025 · leading case: Doe v. Attorney Gen., 425 Mass. 210 (Mass. 1997).

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Doe v. Attorney Gen., 425 Mass. 210 (Mass. 1997). · cites it 8× “6 The motion judge accepted the plaintiff’s argument that his juvenile records are protected from disclosure under G. L. c. 119, § 60A, as amended through St.”

Phillips v. Youth Dev. Prog., Inc., 459 N.E.2d 453 (Mass. 1983). · cites it 6× “See G.L.c. 119, § 60A. [2] The court's view that YDP "engaged in innovative counseling, recreational and educational programs not normally associated with traditional probation," [3] supra at 655, is contradicted by the facts.”

Doe v. Attorney Gen., 715 N.E.2d 37 (Mass. 1999). · cites it 6× “In that case we addressed the apparent conflict between G. L. c. 119, § 60A, providing for the confidentiality of juvenile adjudications, and the notification provisions of the act.”

Commonwealth v. Shipps, 507 N.E.2d 671 (Mass. 1987). · cites it 3× “12 At trial, *831 the defendant argued that G. L. c. 119, § 60A (1984 ed.), prohibited police use of the defendant’s photograph.”

Commonwealth v. Russ R., 744 N.E.2d 39 (Mass. 2001). · cites it 2× “119, § 65; court records open to public inspection, G. L. c. 119, § 60A). See R.L. Ireland, supra at 8-9.”

Doe v. Weld, 954 F. Supp. 425 (D. Mass. 1996). · cites it 3× “Moreover, even if public access to juvenile court proceedings is restricted pursuant to G.L. c. 119, § 60A, that statutory protection has not been found to apply to police investigations.”

Commonwealth v. Anderson, 963 N.E.2d 704 (Mass. 2012). “, G. L. c. 119, § 60A, as amended through St.”

Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court, 401 N.E.2d 360 (Mass. 1980). · cites it 2× “, G.L.c. 119, § 60A (Juvenile Court records not open to public inspection); G.”

Roe v. Attorney Gen., 434 Mass. 418 (Mass. 2001). “1]), we concluded that the 1996 statute required the disclosure of certain juvenile court records, despite the confidentiality afforded such records under the delinquency statute, G. L. c. 119, § 60A. The plaintiff in that case had been convicted twice of open and gross…”

Commonwealth v. Mogelinski, 1 N.E.3d 237 (Mass. 2013). “Individuals proceeded against as delinquents are afforded protections not available in the adult system, such as the presumptive privacy of court records, G. L. c. 119, § 60A, and pre- or postadjudicatory probation, G.”

Wallace W. v. Commonwealth, 128 N.E.3d 581 (Mass. 2019). “See G. L. c. 119, § 60A ("records of the court in cases of delinquency arising under [§§ 52 to 59 ], inclusive, shall be withheld from public inspection except with the consent of a justice of such court"); Juvenile Court Standing Order 1-84 (1984) ("All juvenile court case…”

Commonwealth v. Walczak, 979 N.E.2d 732 (Mass. 2012). “G. L. c. 119, § 60A. Because of this confidentiality, the child is shielded from much of the stigma and collateral consequences that follow from an adult conviction.”

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